Death/Thrash Metal is a form of Metal that was born in the 80's, and SLAYER could be pointed as the beginning of it all due releases as "Hell Awaits" and (mainly) "Reign in Blood". And many Death Metal bands during the 90's had some elements of Thrash Metal due their proximity to the beginning of it all. And North American quintet CRUSADIST follows such way, as can be heard on the first album, "The Unholy Grail". Their music is an intelligent combination of Death Metal in the vein of Floridian scene with the catchy and energetic elements from Thrash Metal in a very personal way. It's personal because the band doesn't have an old school outfit, but a modern and actual one, being brutal and aggressive, but always with a good technical level, and even some melodies can be heard in some parts (as the guitar on the beginning of "The Unholy Grail"), and the energy can blow up your speakers and ears without great effort. Yes, this is an amazing album in many points.

The hands of Jeramie Kling and Taylor Nordberg were set to master and mix the songs of "The Unholy Grail", and they make the album sounds brutal, aggressive and extremely heavy, but it's truly clean and modern, with very good defined (but sharp) instrumental tunes. It's a great work, indeed. Nine Death/Thrash Metal spears are presented on the album, all of them able to rip out your ears and fill your lungs with blood clots. But the explicit violence of "For Blood and Conquest" (brutal and catching, filled with very good vocals that use changes of tunes, from harsh shrieks to extreme grunts), the charming melodies that arise from the guitars on "The Unholy Grail", the excellent rhythmic changes heard on "A Moonlit Brigade" (bass guitar and drums are working in a solid and technical way on this one), the smashing brutality of "Beyond the Count of Grief" and of "The Noble Savage" are the right ones to begin with.

Of course that "The Unholy Grail" is just a first sample of what the quintet can do (their musical talent is evident), but for now, CRUSADIST shows a fine work. But the future seems to be great for them, if the band can deal its cards in the right way.