SLAVE STEEL is an Extreme Metal foursome founded in Rome in 2008 and currently based in London. Their style is a fusion of Thrash, Death, Groove, Melodic and their lyrics are intelligent and penetrating. On September 15, 2023 they released their sophomore full-length album, “In Fieri.” Although it is their third release (2 LPs, 1 EP) and their second full-length, it is their first album on the revered WormDeathHole label and their first album with their updated lineup.

In the band’s words: The album “explores the concept of the butterfly effect and its role in shaping individual and collective destinies . . . delving into the inherent human drive to evolve, while weighing the consequences of every choice made along the way.” Yeah, like I said, a lot more going on here than your typical glorification of death and mutilation. Even the title of the album comes with significant deliberation: “‘In Fieri’ is a Latin expression for ‘in progress,’ ‘becoming.’ The ongoing and much needed evolution both as individual human beings and world collectivity. A man looking at his own shadow as the only known reality, while most of the time what we don’t know sets us free.”

Okay, so the band can think, but can they write cohesive compositions, and can they execute them with technical as well as artful expertise? The simple answer is yes and yes.

The album starts off with ominous and curious clicking of something like gears or clockwork or water. I don’t know. Again, curious and ominous. That lasts about 26 seconds and then the beast is unleashed for the next 35 minutes across nine full tracks. It’s furious but melodic; brutal but nuanced. Standout tracks amongst an album of standouts tracks are “In Fieri” with its eerie intro, heavy Prog precision, and eerie intonations; “What a Wreckage” with its killer bass and relentless rampage that somehow cascades into an epic closing movement; and “F(r)ail” which is savage and frenzied and yet triumphant.

Production values are excellent—which they have to be to capture the full range these lads are putting out there. Vocals are all guttural. No tag outs between raw and clean or choir backgrounds or echo chamber sopranos. Pil Nazar stands and delivers.

I should also mention the cover art is unnerving and evocative: A small white body casting an outsized shadow in the face a blazing sun or blast. It’s like the shadow impressions left from people incinerated in a nuclear blast . . . but in reverse. The incinerated shadow leaves a purified inscription of a living person. And all done in black and brownscale, which looks like a muted scream sounds. 

 All together, “In Fieri” is an impressive sophomore album from SLAVE STEEL. Since their debut album in 2015 we have only had an EP and single from these blokes. Too long, indeed, but “In Fieri” comes close to making up for it. Toss in some live gigs and I think we can call it even.