| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Scavenger Cold Snob Fire Eyes Rats To Whom It May Concern Gernika I Am Hatred What Kills Us All Vultures & Butterflies Release Date: October 20, 2023 Label: Century Media Records Official Website / Facebook |  |
ANGELUS APATRIDA IS:
Guillermo Izquierdo - Lead vocals & guitars / David A. Alvarez - Guitars & vocals / Jose Izquierdo - Bass & vocals
Victor Valera - Drums & vocals
Guillermo Izquierdo - Lead vocals & guitars / David A. Alvarez - Guitars & vocals / Jose Izquierdo - Bass & vocals
Victor Valera - Drums & vocals
I personally cannot believe it has been over an entire decade since I first became aware of Spanish thrashers Angelus Apatrida when I saw them added on a European tour with Havok and Savage Messiah. At the time, they were touring behind their fourth album The Call from 2012, but it was their third album Clockwork from 2010 that started to garner them attention. Their most recent self-titled album from 2021 was a solid album, and while containing strong tracks, I felt that it was another meat-and-potatoes thrash album, and it didn't have much spark to make it a standout album in their catalog.
Over the years, thrash has earned a reputation as being one of metal's most diverse subgenres, and the band's new album Aftermath is an album that explores the gamut of thrash, where in addition to the standard galloping, down-picked and tremolo riffs, we also get elements of punk, prog, melody and hardcore, all of which have the ability to fall under the umbrella of thrash. For example, with "To Whom It May Concern" is the most epic track, and it combines elements of prog, brutality and melody. In the vocal department, Guillermo Izquierdo has the ability to transition between Chuck Billy-esque grunts and roars to hypnotic cleans and spine-tingling harmonies. However, my favourite chorus would have to be "Cold".
There are also a handful of notable special guests present, each adding their own flavour to the record, like Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed on "Snob, which combines thrash and groove, and gives a little nod to the Hatebreed sound with some hardcore style riffing. Pablo Garcia of WarCry guests on "Fire Eyes", while rapper Sho-Hai guests on "What Kills Us All", a track that musically feels like something out of the Exodus book, but the rapping will definitely take a few people by surprise upon first listen. It's Spanish rapping too. I've never heard rapping in Spanish before, so I won't lie when I say that it garnered a bit of a chuckle. Todd La Torre of Queensryche guests on the epic stomping closer "Vultures & Butterflies". Given how well Todd emulates Geoff Tate, the track gives us a taste of what it would sound like if Queensryche were ever a thrash band
2023 has seen some pretty solid thrash releases, and Aftermath is definitely amongst the top of them. As a matter of fact, this is probably the best album from the Spanish metal scene that I've heard. Angelus Apatrida have always produced solid thrash metal, but I think Aftermath is the album where they really consolidated their style with the variety they've become known for. If you're a thrasher like myself, and this band isn't on your radar yet, then what are you waiting for?!
Over the years, thrash has earned a reputation as being one of metal's most diverse subgenres, and the band's new album Aftermath is an album that explores the gamut of thrash, where in addition to the standard galloping, down-picked and tremolo riffs, we also get elements of punk, prog, melody and hardcore, all of which have the ability to fall under the umbrella of thrash. For example, with "To Whom It May Concern" is the most epic track, and it combines elements of prog, brutality and melody. In the vocal department, Guillermo Izquierdo has the ability to transition between Chuck Billy-esque grunts and roars to hypnotic cleans and spine-tingling harmonies. However, my favourite chorus would have to be "Cold".
There are also a handful of notable special guests present, each adding their own flavour to the record, like Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed on "Snob, which combines thrash and groove, and gives a little nod to the Hatebreed sound with some hardcore style riffing. Pablo Garcia of WarCry guests on "Fire Eyes", while rapper Sho-Hai guests on "What Kills Us All", a track that musically feels like something out of the Exodus book, but the rapping will definitely take a few people by surprise upon first listen. It's Spanish rapping too. I've never heard rapping in Spanish before, so I won't lie when I say that it garnered a bit of a chuckle. Todd La Torre of Queensryche guests on the epic stomping closer "Vultures & Butterflies". Given how well Todd emulates Geoff Tate, the track gives us a taste of what it would sound like if Queensryche were ever a thrash band
2023 has seen some pretty solid thrash releases, and Aftermath is definitely amongst the top of them. As a matter of fact, this is probably the best album from the Spanish metal scene that I've heard. Angelus Apatrida have always produced solid thrash metal, but I think Aftermath is the album where they really consolidated their style with the variety they've become known for. If you're a thrasher like myself, and this band isn't on your radar yet, then what are you waiting for?!
FINAL RATING
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