The actual trend of Old School Metal ways is a protest, a manifest: when the 90s came with all its diversity, many fans had problems to assimilate the new tendencies, and hold ground on what was precious to them. It’s obvious that a ‘catechesis’ (yes, the word inherited from religious teaching fits on what is to be said here) with the younger fans to stay away from the new and to embrace only what was done on the 70s and 80s was really good. The result is that many bands on such trends are just living off what is already done, and sorry to say, but no one needs a new METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, MOTÖRHEAD, JUDAS PRIEST or other, because you can’t give sequence of what others did, you must do what you have in heart, so the question is: are you really empty to the point of doing what others did, or are you able to do something of your own using such a formula?

The answer, my friends, is blowing on “Slave to the Scythe”, the second full-length of the North American quintet b. It’s clear that such release is based on Old School Black/Thrash Metal formulas, with many of MOTÖRHEAD (due the mix between Punk Rock and Heavy Metal) on many moments, on others the triumvirate of SLAYER, SODOM and DESTRUCTION on their early ages (or in other worlds, when their releases became professional), and is plenty of Hardcore and Metal Punk touches. But one must pay attention: the quintet has a lot to offer, and isn’t a pimp Metal case (in other words, they’re not living of other musical works). It’s plenty of energy and many hooks, and it sounds very good to the ears, and far away from being artificial (what mean that is spontaneous, and not something forced). The band had Chase McGuckin working on the recordings, and the sonority is what expected from a band with an Old School Metal work: they recorded things in a simple way, evading the use of modern instrumental tunes (what mean that the digital techs were used just on the mixing and mastering, and not to make editions), and the result is a powerful sonority with an organic orientation that’ll allow them to reproduce things on shows in an easier form. And the cover created by Lucas Ruggieri fits on Old School models, but’s really very good on its contrasts, traces and colors.

Even having in mind that the band still has more to offer than is shown on “Slave to the Scythe”, no fans can complain about what’s offered on “Feast” (paying attention, one will hear that they used an acoustic drum for the recording, and this song is full of a hooking energy and a great work on bass guitar and drums), “Slave to the Scythe” (here one can feel the presence of JUDAS PRIEST and NWOBHM on early Thrash/Black Metal acts, especially on the good work on the guitar riffs and some melodic arrangements), “Carbureted Speed” (it’s not a sin to hear the mixed influences of MOTÖRHEAD and JUDAS PRIEST on this one, with many Metal Punk touches, especially on the snarls of the vocals), “Phallomancer the Phallomancer” (a faster moment with simple and catching rhythmic contrasts), “Hell Is Full of Fire” (the ‘accessibility’ is an inheritance of NWOBHM and early Speed Metal influences, but it’s the right song for stage dives and slamdancing, with an energy that would burst South Caroline out of the map!), and “In Nomine Baphomet”. But honestly, all the songs are really great.

It’s not a sin to say that if DEMISER can turn all their musical potential into music, no one will resist their music. For now, “Slave to the Scythe” is a very good release and puts the band among the greater names of Old School Metal. 🤘🏻