Founded in early 2016, Dutch Metal combo DEGENERATE was born from a vision to create a modern hybrid of Thrash and Melodic Death Metal - raw, intense, and uncompromising. This is what the information pack says that came with this music. and if one thing is to be sure, then it is the fact that they have succeeded in doing just that. After the “Demo 2016” EP in 2016 and their debut album “Devastation Ahead” in 2019 they have had another six years to get to where they are today. They have decided that they would shown us where they got to on their latest testimony tot the music they love and have named it “Rituals Of Rage”. And like so many other rather young and great bands are experiencing they have had to release it on their own accord. Let me start by saying that to every Thrash Metal and Melodic Death Metal enthusiast this is mandatory listening.

DEGENERATE has that kind of vibe that will draw you in, if you ask me. Some people will think I will give “Rituals Of Rage” preference over other albums as DEGENERATE is from my home country. Yes, I will look at the preferably, but I will also be very honest with any criticism I give. What I do like is that the band sounds like a real cohesive unit, that everything sounds just like you would want a Thrash/Melodic Death Metal to be. The music on “Rituals Of Rage” is fierce, energetic and powerful, and it will definitely get you moshing, thrashing and headbanging whilst you are listening. And that is exactly what this kind of Metal is meant to do.

As for the songs on “Rituals Of Rage”, they are all within the range that is between good to outstanding. None of them are anything less that good, but also none of them outshine the others by being more than outstanding. To me that shows that DEGENERATE has consistency in their song writing and playing. But to me that also is a bit of a red flag, as there are no songs that really stand out in comparison to the others, making it rather impossible to choose a favourite and less acceptable track. And I feel that every album needs those. Yes, even when you make music that is as good as what I hear on “Rituals Of Rage”. The only thing DEGENERATE can do is start writing even better music altogether, and make the least one just as good as the ones I am listening to right now. Now there’s a challenge.