The Groove Thrash Metal band KINGBÉAST from Nuremberg, Germany, were formed in 2012. They are considered one of the best kept secrets of the German scene. Their self-produced 2014 debut "Demonic Beast Arises" was voted Demo of the Month by Rock Hard Magazine. With "Straps Of Wrath," the band now puts a successor on the CD shelves that more than does justice to the early praise of their debut. With their razor-sharp guitar riffs, paired with a lot of groove up to slower Doom sounds and the phenomenal drumming of GOATH drummer, Tobias Bezold, the trio makes sure that no neck remains painless. The band retains a versatility that is second to none - without taking the pressure off, even in the quieter and melodic passages. Quite a statement to be made. Let's see if they are true and jump into "Straps Of Wrath".

"Starting A New Life" begins the album with a small musical intro. It isn't very long, but gives you a different sense of what is to come. As "Leave Them To Die" begins to kick in the blast beats and guitars are very similar to SLAYER, even down to the vocals. The song is a very good kick back to my high school years as I was beginning to discover bands like KREATOR, OVERKILL, and other great Thrash bands. "Numb The Pain" follows the mesmerizing number before, and this one is wild. The guitars are fast and brutal as the blast beats keep pace. Almost a minute in, we get our first groove. It is a decent number before we throw back into a Thrash sound. The number lets up a bit halfway through, and throws a clean vocal with a softer pace. It is a weird transition from where the song began, but fills well before jumping back to what the band knows best.

"Youth" is another instrumental. It feels a little misplaced, but so does "En Pleine Nuit," which is another instrumental further into the album. "Badass" pretty much sums this song. The music sounds like DANZIG but the vocals are more like a King Diamond chant. The song is very dark and slow paced in the beginning, but the last minute is pure Metal. The title song "Straps Of Wrath" comes in with a fury of blast beats and guitars. As the song slows its pace just a tad, the hard groove becomes very similar to PANTERA. Maybe it's the guitar squeals in between lyrical lines. It is still a damn good song though.

I end with the song "Gargoyles," and if anyone really knows me, I love those long ballads that end an album. Especially if they are good ones. The intro to the song has this Golden Era METALLICA sound. The lyrics sway from harsh screams to clean vocals. The music itself keeps a slower pace than most of the album. The doubles keep the cadence with the chugging guitars but I was really expecting a lot more transitions of speed and sound. The song keeps the pace pretty much the same. It isn't a bad song, I was just expecting a bigger show of the band's talents.

KINGBEAST certainly have a way of showcasing their talents. Their music is very reminiscent to the older ways of Thrash metal. The grooves presented will certainly keep your head bobbing, as their fast-paced musical overtures will certainly start some vicious pits. They have quite a few songs that are golden, but some fall a bit flat when you expect something else. All in all, the band bring a good album forth for those who love old school Thrash.