Maybe the readers don't know about a specific aspect of Thrash Metal bands from Latin America: on the greater part of them, they gather influences primordially from German School of the genre, specifically from KREATOR, DESTRUCTION and SODOM. If this writer is right, maybe the cause is that these bands earlier albums were released before the ones from North American Thrash Metal acts. But there are those with using different formulas, as the Mexican trio STRIKE MASTER. Their EP "Death Base Illusions" shows such fact. Obviously, their main musical influence can be traced to KREATOR's "Extreme Aggression" days, or in other words, the mix between musical violence with some technical insight, but some melodies heard on METALLICA "Ride the Lightning" age appear as well. It's not a new format, of course, but they use it in a very good way.

The sound quality of "Death Based Illusions" is something that isn't right. It's rawer than the needed, and as dry as it sounds (in a way that all the musical instruments can be understood easily), it can be a bit "old fashioned", and such thing isn't good. The trio uses an Old School approach on music, but could use better (and modern) sonorities in the future. Their songs are fine, indeed. "A Corpseless Soul" is filled with technical tempos and melodies guitars in some moments, in a way that seduces the listener; "Strong as Hell" is violent and aggressive, but reminding a lot old German Thrash Metal (especially due the vocals); during "Knives", there's a precious work done by bass guitar and drums due its technical approach, using tempos that aren't as fast as Speed Gonçales; and "Cosmic Owl Ritual" shows a slower insight on the rhythm, but an improvement on the technique, again with very good guitar riffs (with some excellent melodic parts, especially during the solo).

They are veterans, so let's hope that, in the future, STRIKE MASTER can have a better sound quality, because their music is so good. Hear "Death Based Illusions" and blow your ears into pieces!