Black Metal, Death Metal, and Thrash Metal all emerged around the same time (in the 1980s) and have evolved and influenced one another over the past few decades.  In fact, some bands have become known for playing a mixture of Death Metal and Thrash Metal, while others fuse elements of Black Metal with either Death or Thrash Metal.  Aside from this, a few groups like TYRANTS BLOOD find a way to successfully create a sound that incorporates elements of all three genres.  TYRANTS BLOOD formed in Vancouver, British Columbia of Canada, in 2006.  The band has gone through several lineup changes and released three full-length albums: their self-titled debut in 2006 (the same year they formed), "Crushing Onwards into Oblivion" in 2010, and "Into The Kingdom of Graves" in 2013.  "Into The Kingdom of Graves"–the group's most recent album to date-was released independently, but on June 22 of this year, a reissue was released through Dutch record label VIC Records.  For those who may have forgotten this album or haven't listened to it yet, it is not only a masterpiece of Extreme Metal but also proof that a band can mix more than two genres and still sound amazing.

On "Into The Kingdom of Graves," TYRANTS BLOOD efficiently combines the shredding guitar riffs and fast percussive tempos of Thrash Metal, harsh vocals and blast beats of Death Metal, and the dark lyrical themes of Black Metal into one sound.  The record's opening track "Spiral Sea" is also its longest at about 6 minutes.  It starts off with what sounds like haunting whispers that gradually get louder and culminate into an aggressive scream from vocalist Brian Langley.  Rather than only using guttural growls, Langley also includes some shrieking to add variety to his vocals, much like CANNIBAL CORPSE's vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and Glen Benton of DEICIDE.  Matt Modder, TYRANTS BLOOD's drummer for this album, is quite generous with blast beats but not to the point of overwhelming or boring out listeners.  The opening track, to put it simply, sets the tone for the remaining 39 minutes of "Into The Kingdom of Graves."

Next up, we have "Disowned and Defiled," which is exactly a minute shorter than the first track.  However, it packs just as much, if not more, of a punch.  The intensity is not just derived from the blast beats or Marco Banco's masterful riffs, but also the increasingly aggressive shrieks from Brian Langley.  In fact, near the end of the song, the lead vocalist emits a scream that lasts for at least 10 seconds-which requires significant lung power.  Amidst all of the Extreme Metal instrumental skill we hear from TYRANTS BLOOD, we also get a taste of their skill with audio samples/synthesizers.  At the end of the album's fifth track "Destroyer," Banco strums the final chord of his electric guitar before we hear the sound of wood crackling in a flame.  Since fire is one of nature's most destructive forces, it's fitting to add the sound of wood being burned to a song titled "Destroyer."  A couple of songs later, TYRANTS BLOOD changes their game up and begins a 2-minute-long instrumental piece called "Within Outer Scars."  It's a surprisingly beautiful melody of acoustic guitar and electric guitar riffs, which actually enhances the desolate mood of "Into The Kingdom of Graves" rather than toning it down.  Finally, we reach the title/closing track of the album, which is probably the most intense as well.  The song combines the shredding instrumental work of Marco Banco, Matt Modder, and bassist Vinne Borden (along with Langley's incredible vocals) to create a doom-laden Thrash/Death Metal track, which comes to a close with a nearly half-minute-long blast beat from the band's drummer.  Needless to say, TYRANTS BLOOD third album "Into The Kingdom of Graves" goes out with a bang.

Vic Records has been quite busy releasing reissued/remastered versions of Heavy Metal albums that were created at least a decade ago.  It's only suitable that the record label would include "Into The Kingdom of Graves" by TYRANTS BLOOD.  While there are mostly elements of Thrash and Death Metal, one can tell there are hints of Black Metal as well, such as a muted bass and loud shrieks.  The combination of the three genres turns out beautifully without sounding disorganized or rushed, and the remastered production quality makes it better.  When TYRANTS BLOOD initially released the album, it was released independently, so I'm glad VIC Records took the chance to reissue it.  If you're looking to try out a band that masterfully mixes Extreme Metal subgenres, this is the band and album for you.