Let’s party like it’s 1985!!!! With original second Sepultura guitarist, Jairo “Tormentor”, The Troops of Doom, wipes the floor with anything Sepultura has released in 20+ years.  I reviewed the ep’s on here and this debut full length hit me without warning.  Antichrist Reborn is everything you would have wanted if Sepultura were still playing their blended death thrash metal. The band is like an homage to Sepultura from 1985-1987.  10 songs in 41 minutes.  I haven’t heard the bonus edition where a vintage Sepultura song, “Necromamcer”, and the Celtic Frost cover of The Usurper are done.

Opening with  “Dethroned Messiah” the music goes right into the blistering death thrash metal. The song never slows down and the punchy organic production is top notch and throws a kettle bell right into your gut.  “Altar of Delusion” is powerful and bassist/ vocalist Alex Kafer harnesses Max Cavalera once again  – the vintage Sepultura/ Sarcofago vokills and music is chaotic. His pronunciation and enunciation of the words are terrific and you can barely make out the Portuguese accent as he spews and berates us with powerful pissed off vocals. The guitar melodies over the chorus parts are excellent.  The double pounding drums at the end of the song will rattle your jawline with a swift uppercut.  Venomous shit.

After 1 of 2 instrumentals, which are not grating on my nerves, “Pray into the Abyss” builds up with epic atmosphere and the spoken word moments are great.  The song gets into a slow rumbling before the fast death thrash speed erupts taking you to the cavernous underbelly of the underworld. The guitars over the 2 minute fast part are great and the bass guitar is audible. The song shifts into a mosh part. Would have been cool to hear Alex scream out MOSH or TRASH, but this section is just thumping. Great double bass and vocal phrasing during this part. The isolated guitar riffing and drum hits are vintage 1985 type shit. It’s amazing.

Ending with the six and a half minute “Preacher’s Paradox” the song begins slow with dual guitar melodies before the beat down guitar riff enters. A huge pit would erupt during this part. Staying mostly melodic for a good 1.45 the Holy Shit moment comes in with the isolated guitar riff and then into a deliberate, not chaotic like some of the other songs, death thrash speed. This song is killer.

Antichrist Reborn is certainly a walk down memory lane. If you loved the Sepultura of the 80’s as well as other Brazilian death thrash from that era and even more modern old school throwbacks like the fantastic reunion album from Possessed you would love, love, love The Troops of Doom.  The music is not dated but takes the old school and mixes in with modern production and strong musicianship –  this is a winner winner chicken dinner. The album cover alone is worth the price of admission as it combines the classic Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions Sepultura era. This is a buy or die!!!

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