Warbringer – Worlds Torn Asunder

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Now on album three, only three years after debut album War Without End, Warbringer have started to emerge as one of the more promising thrash revivalists, even though they have no intention of pushing the genre’s boundaries. Still, whilst they might not match the sheer technicality of Revocation, nor the heavy blackened edge of Toxic Holocaust, Warbringer have managed to perfectly capture the feeling and nostalgia of the original 80s wave – somehow, given they were probably too young to remember it. Worlds Torn Asunder continues this tradition very well. The band’s sound has paced itself a bit more than their much more hectic early material, but in the process added a more heavy flavour into the mix. This invokes some comparisons to Kreator‘s latter material, and maybe even a little of Sodom as well, but otherwise the material is to Warbringer’s usual dependable standard. As you can expect the band aren’t breaking new ground – they are a revival band and they know it – but it is executed so well that it is almost impossible not to enjoy it. Lyrically the album is surprisingly serious (especially considering John Kevill’s occasionally ridiculous on-stage persona), with the usual and dependable metal themes of war (Living Weapon), oppressive government (Enemies of the State) and rise of technology (Future Ages Gone) taking much of the centre stage. It does sometimes feel a little on the slow side (at least, in comparison to what you’d expect), but on the whole Warbringer continue to produce genuinely authentic ’80s thrash – that’s certainly better than what some better known revival acts are achieving.

Written by James Donovan
More: 2011, Albums, Quick.Play Reviews, Thrash Metal, Warbringer