ENVENOMED's Reckoning EP is one of the most blistering and solid releases I've heard this year.  This Australian four piece has an immediately enduring sound.  It combines the best parts of old school metal: a thrashy yet melodic sound with soaring vocals. Everything is just so tight on this record.  It is clear the band members are very in tune with each other; think of the more modern metal bands like SHADOWS FALL or LAMB OF GOD with a healthy dose of old school thrash like ANTHRAX or DEATH ANGEL. Vocalist/Guitarist Anthony Mavrikis and the other guitarist Brendan Farrguia are monsters at creating and playing guitar riffs.  These riffs are full of groove, speed, and so catchy that the energy they pump into you will make you want to punch your grandmother in the face or something.

The EP's first track, "The Reckoning." opens with melodic guitar supported by a heavy, Doom style riff.  After about a minute, the bass and drums kick in then the song goes into full Thrash mode with tight and high riffs. Anthony's vocals are soaring, a cross between Bruce Dickinson and Joey Belladonna with a sort of energy hard to find in the more modern bands. The best parts of the songs are the way they write them; unlike a lot of other bands with this traditional sound, the guitar solos don't hold the songs together but rather they compliment.  ENVENOMED throw a guitar solo after a first chorus or before a stanza or maybe even after a Thrash breakdown or a melodic section. It's this random playing that keeps the songs flowing with the groove laid down by the excellent bass and drums, from Dave Lowes and Adam Bartleson, respectively.

"Slave No More" is the strongest track because it shows off exactly what the band is striving for.  The beginning has melody, not too much but just enough create a nice intro that turns into short, crunchy riffs that explode into a speedy song with Anthony singing over a tight rhythm section.  At 3:45 mark a nice, melodic, section pulls in with Anthony wailing in the background and the lead guitar creating an almost beautiful melodic solo.  Just when you think they have said enough, it suddenly speeds up with an amazing blistering guitar solo while the other band members drop a heavy wall of sound; this song is the definition of traditional, no frills, balls-to-the-wall heavy fucking metal. The only problem with this album is that eventually it ends.  Honestly, the new wave of metal spear-headed by the aforementioned bands has long since worn out its welcome but ENVEMONED clearly don't care and they even more clearly breathe new life into this genre.