I’m not a big ‘thrash guy’. Not since the classics of the 80s/90s has a thrash band captured my attention unless injected with a little more grit or death metal like Dew Scented. So here is the third album from long running, nu metal named, thrash band from Portugal, hardly the thrash or metal mecca or Europe, But I’ll be god-damned if this thing isn’t a ripping little fucking record that actually does remind me of Dew-Scented, and throws in some Sepultura– ish hues, and you have a winning record.

This is tight, tight, high octane, go for the jugular thrash with an aggressive streak. The production is big and beefy with a nice throbbing bass and punchy, razor sharp guitars. Vocalist Hugo Andrade has a throaty, gruff shout that also ups the intensity. And it all comes together for a really impressive death/thrash record that captured my attention, something an album in the style has not done since maybe Kause 4 Konflict a couple of years ago.

Hitting that no filler, no nonsense 35 minute sweet spot, Flesh & Bones, only lets up for some neck snapping grooves and a few wailing solos, other wise hacking and slashing its way through 10 blistering songs. Right from the get  go, opener “All or Nothing” begins the throttling tempo that goes right until closer “Free Falling”. No ballad, no clean vocals, no bullshit. The  excellent moments come hard and fast too as the likes of the title track, the all make me want to punch people and things.

Of note is the very Sepultura-ish, super short blasts of  “Super Fucking Mainstream” and “Monsters”, volatile blast beats of  “Ignorance is Bliss”,  and the killer “Walking On the Edge”, which reminded me of Dew Scented‘s “Feeling Not”, one of my favorite metal tracks ever. And if the main chug in the chorus of “Old Souls (They Are the Ones)” does not get your head banging, you should probably give up metal.

Only 5 minute closer “Free Falling” slightly reigns things in with a more mid paced, but still energetic romp. It actually serves as a bit of a breather, allowing you to come down from the previous 30 minute beatdown, and an album that really took my by surprise, took me into a back alley and beat me senseless. And trust me, that’s not easy.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments