Catatonic Symphony, not to be confused with the album of the same name by Basterdane (featuring James Hetfield’s son), marks the explosive debut of Raging Slayer, a thrash metal project from Portugal forged under the banner of Selvajaria Records.  At the helm of this project is the man behind the moniker Slaytanic Speedball Possessor, the creative force behind all compositions, lyrics and guitar solos. His background includes guitarwork in the crust punk outfit Sem Talento, as well as leading projects such as Death Crust “Animalesco, o Metado” and Death Metal “Rancid Amputation”.  Frontman Lex Thunder (Toxikull, ex Midnight Priest) delivers the vocal onslaught, while production duties are handled by Paulao (of Portuguese thrashers Perpetrator).

The band name Raging Slayer is a blood-soaked salute to Slayer’s golden era, 1983 to 1988 when thrash was raw, fast and completely unhinged. The album Catatonic Symphony being a feral love letter to the glory days of classic speed and aggression. However, there is no actual symphony here and Raging Slayer is not tribute act or retro copy. This is pure, uncut thrash the way it was meant to be and unapologetically old school. No frills. No modern polish. Just the sound that defined a generation of headbangers. From the outset, “From the Cross” hurls you straight into the pit, a speedfest of hyper blast beats, ripping guitar licks, and scorching solos.  The chaos briefly giving way to a heavier pounding rhythm. Vocals come in with a shouted delivery, complete with bursts of laughter.  They run at full throttle on every track, apart from the title track, which is instrumental. Although overstretched at times this  adds to the unpolished energy of the album.

“Symbols of Deceit” kicks off with a slower pace.  Thick, chugging riffs and dissonant guitar work set the tone, perfect for steady headbanging. It’s deliberate, almost brooding, but about a third of the way in, the engine roars into lift. The tempo spikes and there is a drive to the final onslaught of hyper blast beats. “To Suffer is to Breathe” opens with jagged, dissonant riffs, soon joined ty the rhythm section. The track rides on intermittent pauses and gritty repetitive riff work, broken up by the occasional guitar lick. The pacing is spot on, another neck snapper built for headbanging.

“Ministry of Failure” stands out with its low, melodic dissonance early on. The vocals are fired off, paired with drum rolls and tempos shifts that keep things unpredictable. There’s a push and pull pitch and speed here, making it one of the more dynamic cuts on the album. The title track “Catatonic Symphony” strips things back, no vocals, just slow burning guitar driven instrumental melody. Harsh mid paced riffs mix with cleaner melodies and solos. The rhythm section closes things out with pounding floor-rattling drums.

“Troops of Blind Deception” is pure mosh pit fuel, relentless riffing, tight drumming and vocals pushed to the edge. It’s one of the most feral moments on the album. Both “Suicidal Wish Denied” and “Unsolved War” carry the torch forward, hammering home a tried and tested formula of speed, grit and no frills aggression. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, play it louder. The golden era is held sacred by those who lived it and that reverence hasn’t faded with new audiences. Catatonic Symphony doesn’t imitate, it channels that energy. If you are looking to relive those furious days, this album delivers. It’s a headbanger’s heaven, loud, relentless and impossible to ignore.