Warbringer – War Without End

artist website

publisher

impulse buy

Century Media
Produced by Bill Metoyer

Warbringer’s brand of metal is raw, uncompromising thrash. So it comes as no great surprise that they come from bay area California, the spiritual home of thrash metal. Ventura to be precise.

Much of War Without End has the kind of abrasive sound which characterised the original thrash bands in their early days. Systematic Genocide, for instance, is pure early-Metallica, while much of the rest of the album, particularly Hell On Earth and opener Total War, could easily be Slayer songs (producer Bill Metoyer was at the helm of Slayer’s early work as well).

The solos are less frantic than most of Slayer’s – more measured and precise, a bit like Kirk Hammett’s, but without the over-use of the wah pedal. The skill of the band is in absolutely no doubt but they are let down slightly by the mix, which has the vocals a little too low, meaning John Kevill sounds like he is shouting to be heard at times.

This is an album for people who wish the big four still sounded the way they used to. Highlights include the blistering Dream Command, impressively frenetic Combat Shock, wonderful dual-soloing in Metallica-style Shoot To Kill and Overkill-groove of Born of The Ruins. The ’80s power metal wails on that one are impressive as well, as is the two-minute instrumental (and misleadingly titled) Epic, although the minute of silence which precedes it is completely unnecessary.

Given the relentless pace of thrash metal, at just 39-minutes War Without End ironically ends before you know it, and like most Slayer records, there’s not much to separate one track from another, but until Testament release The Formation of Damnation in April, this is the most aggressive, pure thrash record for a while, by anyone.

“ raw, uncompromising ”

Tracklist: Total War / Systematic Genocide / Dream Command / Hell On Earth / At The Crack of Doom / Beneath The Waves / Instruments of Torture / Shoot To Kill / Born of The Ruins / Combat Shock / Epic

Photo(s): Alex Solca | www.alexsolca.com

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2008, Albums, Thrash Metal, Warbringer