Bay Area Thrash Metal from Chile. Is that possible? Well, yes, it is! You only have to listen to the debut album of NECKBREAKER, who hail from Santiago, in order for you to admit that "Mental Void" does contain music that is from that specific area. This band actually was formed in 2008, disbanded in 2012, only to reappear in 2014. And yes, they have been active ever since. Accept for four demos NECKBREAKER only produced the "Too Big To Fail" EP in 2017. So now, to be exact on 12 December 2025, they have finally been given the opportunity to let us in on their debut album. As for the music, you should think of a lot of influences from the eighties; most importantly the band HADES, and then mixing those sounds with some TESTAMENT and SACRED REICH musically and a light weight version of Paul Baloff vocally. That should give you a clue as to which spectrum you can place "Mental Void".

And whatever you might say about the musical direction that NECKBREAKER, there is no denying the fact that when you listen to "Mental Void" you can only conclude that they have chosen that path very wisely. The reason I state this is because the band have really thrown themselves into their songwriting, rehearsing and recording of this album. There are no half measures to be found here. This is as confident and decisive I have ever heard a band operate. And that simply radiates off the record from the very first second until the very last one, which means that you get almost 40 minutes of very convincing Bay Area Thrash Metal. I feel that NECKBREAKER might be worth seeing live as soon as possible.

The songs on "Mental Void" are to be classed in the 'quite good' category without fail, and without exception. Of course some are a touch better than others, but as a whole you can't fault what NECKBREAKER is treating us to on this album. it makes me wonder why it took them such a long time to bring us their first studio album in the first place. According to the EPK on "Mental Void" NECKBREAKER is raw, fast, and merciless. The album tackles an array of intense themes, from the dark crimes of Chile's military dictatorship and the manipulations of global elites to introspective examinations of false heroes feeding their own egos. Well, I'm not going to argue with that. and yes, I think the real Bay Area Thrash Metal afficionado will now know enough to give this a listen.