STEINMETAL (7/10)

An unshakeable rage, a full-fledged merciless attack, hell's fire is burning bright ready to Thrash, obliterate and destroy. Out of the dark and into the bright eating light of the flames. With banks of unimaginable energy, the Brits decisively strike once again. One of the last remnants of the once thriving British Thrash Metal titans, ONSLAUGHT, is still there, waiting for the right time to make its hellish impact on the worldwide Metal scene. With their last comeback album, "Sounds Of Violence", which rallied them into AFM Records, being heavily bombastic and vile as its title suggests, the beast retained its rampage and its hunger for more. Clicking forward two years later and "VI", ONSLAUGHT's sixth album, is on its way to nourish the deprivation for some sweet veteran blood, a taste for the wrath of the ancients, the piercing violent fury that will not be denied. However, with the increase of depravity, there is also the escalation of the expectancy rate of the next boon, and in a way there was still a void after the damage done.

With the emergence of "Sounds Of Violence", I noticed how far ONSLAUGHT went being outright vehement. It might fit the character of contemporary Thrash Metal bands, especially the modern fusions, yet nothing was wrong as ONSLAUGHT measured up to the big boys with their hefty dosages of musical power and intensity. With "VI", it deemed as a mere continuance of the previous, notwithstanding the replacement of a drummer, keeping the same composure for the production of volcanic Thrash sequences. Nonetheless, with the hypothetical combination of DESTRUCTION meets EXODUS throughout the album, "VI" is quite harsher, heavier, faster and punishing than its previous. ONSLAUGHT's songwriting established quite simple song structures easy to comprehend, quite catchy turnouts like "66'Fucking'6", which is a darn Metalhead's anthem as the soldiers of the devil, packed with tons of aggression, "Chaos Is King" and "Fuel for My Fire" being the true face of chaotic savagery and emblazoned riffery, and "Cruci-Fiction" being the unlawful igniter of old school competency. From within, these songs bear penetrating and powerful guitar riffing slashing with fast tremolo picking and palm muted devastators, fired bullet tempos bashing with juggernaut base drum action, tight bass, highly accorded soloing dexterity and style lengthways with Sy Keeler's assailing vocal efforts.

On the other hand, along with its filler songs, "VI" ended up being simply another well produced Thrash Metal album of modern times. Its direction is delightfully old school, as expected from these guys, yet has no match to the band's earlier mutations such as "The Force" for instance that had a thundering spike. "VI" is fairly good, and quite a grandiloquent mean kicker, yet it lost me after a few spins with nothing to be addicted about due to the lack of uniqueness. It is highly decisive I will tell you that, swift and brutal, but like plenty of the stuff out there keeping Thrash Metal straightforward without monkey business conserving the genre's purity.

METTLEANGEL (7/10)

With shock and awe, haunting with the sounds of violence, planting the seeds of hate, preparing for a new world order, always willing to thrash till death, U.K. peace killers  ONSLAUGHT return and burn with the force of their sixth power from Hell. For over six years they have been signed to a contract in blood with AFM Records. On this third sojourn down the forbidden path, the fuel of might and fire ignites as Sy Keeler and his shellshock soldiers search for sanity in a world where chaos is king.

I was so grateful to catch them live last year, and hang out with the metal forces. As much as I had hoped for a complete re-recorded version of "Search For Sanity" with Sy's singing, I am still pleased with this punishing and excruciating fixture of speed, anger, and hatred. At least the deluxe versions will include a reworked version of "Shellshock" featuring members of the Japanese band UNITED.

I was sad to see sick fuckin' drummer Steve Grice depart, as he now has his own band called THE SANITY DAYS. However Jeff & Andy are born for war and back for more. The destroyer of worlds suicideology formula is the same, and the staccato Sy screams are still kept to a bare minimum, but Nige's brutal guitar crunches and food for thought lyrical machinations are still very prevalent.

"Chaos Is King" damns the nation with its malignant intent, leading to "Fuel For My Fire". If you are well-versed in "Sounds Of Violence" and "Killing Peace" then you already know what to expect. The Arabesque Middle Eastern elements of "Children Of The Sand" mix things up a bit and echo SLAYER's "Seasons In The Abyss". The unrelenting "Slaughterize" is truly tested to destruction. The powerful "Dead Man Walking" takes its cue from other British acts who themselves were once influenced by these antitheists, namely SAVAGE MESSIAH or HELLFIGHTER. There are lots of killer solos on this one.

The best track by far is the crib death antics of "66'Fucking'6" which sums up everything for which ONSLAUGHT embody with their evil intentions. "Cruci-Fiction" mirrors the mentality of "Godhead" and "Twisted Jesus". The closer "Enemy Of My Enemy" itself inspired by the demoniac SunTzu and his "Art Of War" will leave its indelible and philosophical mark on your mind.

Two years later and we have another awesome thrash till death delight, so prepare to fight with the best.