Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

Apart from the well-known Evile, a band which I'll forever be grateful to for introducing me to thrash metal, and the pretty humorous Gama Bomb which I was never too fond of, United Kingdom seems content to leave the neo-thrash spotlight to other countries, just like back in the days. Outside of these two bands, I'm quite unfamiliar with the scene going on in British land, and if a casual listen to the rather unspectacular Abadden some time ago was any indication, I was quick to imply that every other band coming from the other side of the Channel just didn't have much to offer. I'm no stranger to this kind of prejudices, unfortunately, but if nothing else I always seek to disprove myself because, you know, in that case I'd earn something interesting to headbang to, so everybody wins (except my fallacious logic). Personal struggles aside, here I am, spinning the latest work from four British guys who, from the aesthetics and the moniker, promise serious business.

Shrapnel have been around for more than a decade now, the only constant being the two talented axemen Chris Martin (rhythm) and Nathan Sadd (lead), and for their third offering Palace for the Insane they welcomed back original drummer Chris Williams (who had left before their first full-length) and found a new voice in Aarran Tucker, who replaces founder Jae Hadley and handles bass duties as well. Right from their debut The Virus Conspires (2014), they established themselves as a rising force on British soil, at the same time beginning a process of maturation and refinement all the way to the crucial landmark of the third full-length release. Is this actually their peak of brilliance, or have they sacrificed their initial flare at the 'bland music for smart metalheads' altar (Havok immediately comes to my mind)? One listen to any riff on this album will be enough to wipe any doubt from your mind: you can bet your sweet ass they're here to make a lasting impression.

While comparisons to the two bands I mentioned at the beginning may emerge at a first casual listen, Shrapnel mainly do their own thing, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. You may pick up some instances where Tucker's vocals may resemble Matt Drake's more aggressive delivery, with the notable difference that, outside of these moments, the new vocalist usually sounds harsher and closer to a Nick Melissourgos/Riley Gale hybrid, at times even mimicking the most recent Tom Angelripper snarl. So far, so good, right? There's also a sprinkle of metalcore-esque sung vocals, if you mind (think of grittier Atreyu cleans), and in some songs he's joined by his more Teutonic-styled predecessor, but I found no tangible contrast. The riffwork is, if I were to sum it up in a word, refreshing, just like the Northern Irish crew maybe, but in all honesty it settles in a different league. Shrapnel's continuous tempo shifts bring that sense of 'calculated aggression' (not unlike Evile in this regard, I admit) that's typical of modern thrash metal (it goes without saying that you can already imagine the album production based on these premises, though I preferred Russ Russell's work on the previous releases), but even if that's never been your cup of tea, you can still trust me when I say that the guys are also excellent songwriters.

With Palace for the Insane, whatever Shrapnel lost in frontal aggression (the drummer change may be a factor), they gained in sound variety and influences. I have to be honest, in spite of their arduous efforts to spice things up, I've always had a soft spot for fast, stupid thrash metal, so after the first, multifaceted half, a part of me was starting to seek for some more adrenaline-pumping, boneheaded stuff. Needless to say, they anticipated my thoughts and out of nowhere they delivered 'Infernal Choir' (with a guest solo by Xentrix's Kristian Havard) and the absolutely monster 'The Mace' which alone is worth the price of the album. Still, Shrapnel doesn't want to rest on their laurels too much as they effortlessly bounce between impressive modern thrash anthems ('Might of Cygnus', 'Bury Me Alive', the title-track) and mid-tempo stompers which never feel dull or half-assed ('Turn Off the Lights', 'Violent Now, Forever'). A special mention for the apocalyptic 'Future Sight' which, dare I say, would have worked even better as the closer, with its solemn pace and quasi-singalong nature, and the melancholic 'Begin Again', which is sensibly very emotional for the band as it's dedicated to a late friend of theirs. The latter may as well be Sadd's crowning achievement so far – that solo in the middle is truly heartfelt.

Palace for the Insane is by no means a short album, but it manages to keep you interested for all its 50+ minutes, and that's never an easy feat. I always like when I find the strongest songs outside of the singles/video choices ('Salt the Earth' was not among my favourites), and overall my impression is that it picks up steam more and more as it progresses. As a footnote, for what it's worth, I also appreciated their hard-working attitude and their activity on social medias, and I hope all the best for their career (and to catch them at a live show, who knows). Overall, easily one of my best 'discoveries' in recent times. Now I rest assured there's hope for the Old England.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10

Review by Ves on May 8, 2023.

Think back to 2014 and try remembering all the good things that happened that year. Having a hard time? Yeah, that's understandable. After all, it's been almost 10 years. Just as a brief reminder, 15th of April 2014 marks the day Sacred White Noise, the debut album by Canadian band Thantifaxath and also one of my all-time favourite pieces of music, was released. Does that mean everything beyond this point is going to be very biased? Yes but hear me out anyway.

Let's begin with a brief refresher, in case Sacred White Noise hasn't been in your rotation as much as it has in mine over the past 9 years. Thantifaxath's debut album is a perfect mix between progressive rock oddities and the raw emotion of black metal. From the disorienting changes in tempo and time signature, riff variety, discomfort-inducing dissonance in guitar leads, to the pummeling blast beats, nasty guitar and bass tones, and bestial vocal performances, the album keeps you on your toes from start to finish. Sprinkle in eerie transitions in the form of violins or choir, and you have yourself a masterpiece. I am as high on this album today as I was when I first heard it in 2015. After a slightly underwhelming EP released in 2017 (underwhelming only by the standards set by the band's debut, mind you), before us is their sophomore album - Hive Mind Narcosis.

From the first chord and melody the sound is unmistakable. The gritty tone, the uneasiness-inducing note choice, and the chilling harsh vocals suck you in as 'Solar Witch's atmosphere starts building around you. With multiple tempo changes, stop-and-go patterns, and more interesting melodies down the line, the opener leads nicely into 'Surgical Utopian Love', almost 11 minutes in length. The rhythmic complexity disorients you, the melodies make the hairs on your arms stand, and the vocals rip your heart out. I cannot praise this song enough, as it hits all the spots for me musically and emotionally. A sinister mid section leads into a 7/8 riff which the band explores to its limits but not a moment more than necessary, closing the song with a synth melody growing in intensity until it perishes in a wave of noise. On 'The Lost Wisdom Of Wolves', the band starts of with a minute of straightforward black metal riffage and blasts, before the song starts unravelling into beautifully crafted layers of melodies, stripping down one by one before nothing is left but a howling wind. The fourth track, 'Burning Kingdom Of Now', is yet another grand piece which builds layers upon layers of sound and melody patiently before turning to chaos. The track is in 9/8, which may sound superfluous but it does not feel overwritten. On the contrary, all the riffs flow very naturally from each other throughout the cut. 'Hungry Ghosts' emerges from the ruins of the previous track as a simple drum pattern playing over a reverb-soaked melody. The rest of the band comes in promptly with a multitracked vocal narration, which has a suitably uncanny valley feel. This is taken further when the track heats up, with the drumming having the same effect on me as the London underground during a signalling fault - you're never sure whether you've reached your destination or just standing in the middle of a tunnel, being jerk about by the breaks and acceleration. I've had this album on repeat for the past few days, and whenever 'Hungry Ghosts' comes up, I immediately drop what I'm doing so I can focus on the song. This is no background listening material, and I love it all the more for this. The penultimate track, 'Blissful Self Disassembly', is a noisy atmospheric piece for the most part, exactly of the kind one might expect based on the debut album - the otherworldly voice towards the end of the track give me chills just thinking of them. The track dissolves into a dissonant tremolo guitar riff which quickly turns into the closer, 'Mind Of The Sun'. The song is marked by my favourite vocal performance on the album and a guitar arrangement which I can only describe as dizzying. The stereo guitar tracks sound out of phase just enough to make you think something's wrong. Naturally, the faster sections of the song are absolutely crushing, with the whole band coming together behind the blast beats to deliver exactly what you thought was brewing behind the layers of dissonance. And, just when you thought we have reached the apex, the album ends without warning, care or excuse. All that's left behind are silence and a feeling of incomplete release. As if you are forced to accept something you'd strongly opposed forever.

The cold atmosphere and surgically precise performances are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what makes this album a perfect one for me. The production gives enough space to every instrument to shine individually, while tying them all together in a cohesive wall of sound. The manic time signature and tempo changes which, upon my description, might put off listeners used to the unnecessary overuse of similar concepts in music in modern metal make this album the cold spiral into the void that I was hoping it would be. Each melody takes you a step further towards oblivion, each drum hit erases the path behind you. The only moments of respite, ironically, are the blast beat sections which you keep clinging onto as a leitmotif, while trying to make sense of the rest of this masterpiece. If you like your metal nihilistic, crushing, disorienting, and leaving you reaching for the replay button over and over again, do not miss Hive Mind Narcosis.

Rating: 10 out of 10