Old school thrashers are in for a treat (fans of early SLAYER and POSSESSED tune in!). We've got a somewhat exotic product at hand. SPELLFORGER come from Indonesia and have released their debut EP entitled "Upholders of Evil". These guys can really teach some lessons in thrash to their western buddies. You can tell they have studied every detail from the masters and inventors of this style and so they can replicate the music as well as the vibe. Even the artwork fits the picture!

The sounds that rule over this recording are thrash, speed and a taste of black. Everything has a very vintage taste. Production has been replicated with accuracy to sound dusty and fuzzy. The title track, which is actually an intro, would have been a good idea if it would have been something special. Unfortunately it's boring and has nothing to it. We understand they could barely put a bunch of songs together for an EP but still... We could have done without it. Now the real action begins with "Lord of Possession" and will keep the same vibe going on all the rest of the songs. Piercing vocals, with the trademark delay effect, accompany the riffs throughout this material. The bass unfortunately gets lost in the mix, but otherwise, these guys have done a great job, as I presume they didn't have access to a top notch recording studio or a class A producer. Of course everything is sort of a cliché, but I guess this is intended. No points for originality, only for putting together pretty neat songs. Riffs and especially choruses are very catchy. It's a fun material to listen to! "Pestilentia", the final track, deserves a shout out. Smart move to leave the best at the end, as most gangs run out of fuel and make a weak impression at the end of their recordings.

Nothing fancy, nothing new, SPELLGORGER deliver a straight in your face thrash that will make your underwear drop. Their debut EP is a must listen to for all old school fans of the genre. It's kind of a "Bill and Ted's" excellent adventures time capsule. You'll find yourself back in '83. And after "Stranger Things" came to an end, I'm sure we're all in need of that. Give it a spin and it will thrash you up!