BLOOD TSUNAMI arrived on the Thrash scene in 2007 with their debut release Thrash Metal, which provided a template for which fans of Thrash could expect from this up-and-coming Norwegian band. Now with the follow up Grand Feast For Vultures they have expanded on their initial sound, producing a brutal dose of Death/Thrash for listeners.
The first thing you realize when the opener Castle Of Skulls kicks in is literally how brutal the whole album is going to be. The drums hit you with a crash and the guitar and bass start to pound at your chest- this isn't an album for the weak. I must say I was a little disappointed when the vocals made their way into the music. To put in bluntly, they ruin the music. Confronted with a main singer who does piercing/screamingly brutal vocals not unlike what you would hear from say, a deathcore band and then a backing vocal singer who does classic Death Metal growling vocals, I think the band would benefit from having a singer where the vocals don't drown out the music and distract from the awesome musicianship.
Don't get me wrong, these guys are brilliant musicians; the riffs are awesome, possibly some of the best I have heard in a long time from the underground scene. Fast forward any of the songs to about halfway and find the breakdown riffs of each song, you will instantly know what I mean, pure Thrash Metal which does nothing but bring a big ol' smile to your face as you imagine what it would be like to hear live. The lead guitar work is lightning fast and very technical. Solos trade off and switch sounds throughout, my favourite example would be that in title track Grand Feast For Vultures, which brings an instant memory of Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman style lead work - you have your technical slightly slower shredding solo (Hanneman) and then your slightly crazy, super-fast, all over the fret-board solos (King) and this is exactly what these guys have managed to pull off.
If the vocals were altered then this album would be held far higher in my mind but sadly they just take too much out of the music. The variation of tempo throughout the songs works well, tracks such as Personal Exorcism, which take a mid tempo approach; still manage to keep up the level of intensity as the other tracks do.
If nothing else this album again lays groundwork for development, the vocals need to move away from the screeching deathcore style and everything else needs to be intensified. If anything BLOOD TSUNAMI are going to be a band that excels on the live scene, as the raw passion and power on display in this album is intense and something I can only imagine will transfer brilliantly over to a crowd in some sweaty underground Thrash club.
If you are still loving your Thrash but at a loss on what to listen to then try these guys out. Its not the best out there but its thrashing enough to make you not regret the purchase and hopefully will let you see where this band is heading. WARBRINGER and VIOLATOR fans, if you fancy something pushing on the increasingly brutal side, give Grand Feast for Vultures a try, I'm sure you will find something that you can enjoy.