WITCHTRAP is not new to the metal scene. If, however, you are new to WITCHTRAP, then this is your day. WITCHTRAP is a Blackened Thrash band from Medellin, Columbia. They formed in 1992 and have a formidable discography of six LPs, three EPs, and four splits. On April 8, 2024 they released their sixth full-length studio album, “Hungry As The Beast.” There was a bit of noise around the release which resulted in the album being issued a month before the official date. While they may have lost some marketing prep space, the album is still a solid offering.

“Hungry As The Beast” comprises eight tracks with a runtime of 35 minutes. As a true Thrash album, it suffers no acoustic interludes or any of that other shit to waste your time. To be clear, there is nothing terribly innovative with WITCHTRAP except for their relentless and unwavering execution. Album to album, there isn’t a lot of variation to band—which is a good thing when what you deliver is excellent Blackened Thrash. I should mention that sonically WITCHTRAP may be in the Thrash space, but as far as themes and lyrics, they are all Black. Which is to say you won’t have to endure any diatribes about politics or social issues—it’s all Satan and aggression.

As with other releases, the production values are strong, so you can soak in all the layers to this band—albeit there are only four: the feverish bass, the razored riffs, the frenzied drums, and the raspy vocals. If I had to name a fifth, it would be the synergy that flows through this trio. Very tight.

There are no regrets on this album. Every track crushes. My personal favorites are the title-track, “Hungry As The Beast”; “Heirs to the Power of Evil” with its catchy hook and gruesome drop; and “Cauldron of Abominations,” a Doomy piece—at least thematically. It is also the longest piece, so maybe a little extra real estate there for the boys to play.

Altogether, WITCHTRAP’s “Hungry As The Beast” is one of those unpretentious albums that doesn’t try to be something it isn’t. Just straightforward Speed Metal with little Blackened evil sprinkled on top to make it go down smooth. Highly recommended this one.