You know the type of album that starts off slow-paced and gradually gets to its point and theme of the actual album? The type of album that you can sit down and value the music, the composition and the lyrics individually and later admire the masterpiece it is? Well, DOWNSLAVE's "Black List" isn't that type of album.

From beginning till the end of this wild album, something drives you to get up and headbang until your neck is sore. Infused with badassery, this LAMB OF GOD influenced album brings a magnificent, fast-paced, angry music style. It isn't a perfection of Thrash Metal music, but alas, it isn't the worst, also. It is exceedingly good. And fairly short at that. With five violent tracks of total length of 21 minutes, this album sits in place nicely.

At certain points, you can hear the similarities between LAMB OF GOD's music and Downslave's new album. But, nevertheless. The overall quality of the album is so good that in the end, all that doesn't matter. Somehow, this band manages to keep up the fast pace on each and every song, never loosening its grip. Heavy riffs, angry vocals with a few clean lines here and there and drumming that reminds me of SLYOSIS for some reason, that's what this album is all about. While listening to "Black List", I concluded that the anger ("middle-finger showing, trashing windows and just being an angry teen" type of anger) behind the music was very well channeled into the songs.

For some reason, two songs ("Precious Ash", "Exposed") brought NECROPHAGIST to mind because of the opening riffs, and the similar track composition. As I said at the beginning, this album, when played, just explodes with massive amounts of violent energy that urges you to get up and just do something. Headbang, walk, run, exercise, hit a wall, punch trees...anything. I couldn't listen to it properly unless I was on the move.

To conclude, DOWNSLAVE's new album "Black List" delivers one hell of a punch in the stomach with its angry, heavy riffs and screaming vocals that make you wanna break stuff. A good piece of Thrash music, definitely worth of your time, but also, not the best thing out there. It would be "okay" if compared to all the similar albums out there, but as an individual, distinct piece, "Black List" is a beautiful disaster, that presents you with the feeling of badass from the opening riff on the first track ("Start the War") until the last riff on the last track ("Precious Ash").