San Francisco Bay Area is a strong scene that gave to the world acts as EXODUS, METALLICA, FORBIDDEN, VIO-LENCE, TESTAMENT and many others, and created what is known as Bay Area Thrash Metal. Even with the decline of the genre in the early days of the 90s, the term lived on, and many young acts are still using it to define what they’re up to. One of them is the quartet HATCHET, here with its new release, the EP “Leave No Soul”. Their music is based on a fast and aggressive way into Thrash Metal (where some influences of Hardcore and Crossover Thrash Metal are clearly heard), and it’s not a sin to say that influences of VIO-LENCE, EXODUS and others who use the mix of fast tempos + melodies = Thrash Metal can be heard on their musical work. It’s fast and impacting, furious and insanely full of energy.

But pay attention in one point: even exploring such old genre, they dug something personal for them, full of life and value. Nick Botelho (who worked with the band on 2015’s “Fear Beyond Lunacy”) signs the recordings, mixing and mastering of the songs, creating a ‘default’ sonority for the EP: harsh, straight and heavy, with those ‘dry’ instrumental tunes that boosts the band’s musical aggressiveness, but always in a way that is easy to understand. And what a great artwork for the cover created by Andrej Bartulovic.

“Leave No Soul” is a fine ‘comeback’ after 6 years without a release (the last was the full-length “Dying to Exist”, released on 2018). And what’s heard on “Leave No Soul” (a fast and blistering song filled with excellent rhythms conducted by bass guitar and drums, with many double bass parts), “Concealing Decay” (even being fast, this one depicts excellent melodies on the guitar themes, and what chaotic riffs and solos) and “Withering Minds” (the speed decreases a bit in relation to the past songs, with a very good technical work on the instrumental sheath, and what great vocals) shows that their musical work is excellent. And paying homage, here are excellent versions for “Human Insecticide” (of the Canadian Thrash Metal masters of ANNIHILATOR, here in an actual and excellent version with a different dressing) and “Hellion” (a great song of W.A.S.P., here respecting the melodic appeal of the original, but with a ‘thrashy’ appeal, and maybe it’s a sign from where the melodies of the band come from).

After listening to “Leave No Soul”, Thrash Metal fans should be waiting anxiously for the new HATCHET’s album!