Review by Greg on May 21, 2025.

Finally pointing my radar once again towards the Balkan area, breeding ground for killer bands, and this time I'm heading to Croatia, where thrash act Krematorium is ready to release their first effort under the wing of Witches Brew... ten full years after their debut Body Bags first hit the shelves.

Now, such a long gap is bound to lead to changes, and it couldn't be otherwise with three new members out of five – but while the band's roots were in unimpressive thrash, this brand-new Sinister Seduction advertises a stronger influence from traditional heavy metal, and I was honestly surprised to check out how much it holds true, and how well the dudes blend the two ingredients. For sure, one can pick up an inspiration or two across the songs – for example, I'd clearly see the intro melody of 'Go Getter' fit on a Judas Priest album, and it's hard not to think of Artillery's latest endeavours here and there, or spot a sprinkle of Anthrax-sounding refrains in 'D.F.T.E.' or 'Manhunt' – but Krematorium sure as hell don't sound like any of those. I even dare say, their way of keeping the pedal firmly on full throttle, while also dropping those riffs so markedly inspired by classic heavy, if compared to your average thrash band, is not something you see every day.

So, also in light of the sleazy reimagining of the Spectrum of Death artwork, can you get more '80s than this? Well, you can, actually: the production is disappointingly modern, but fortunately not sterile, and vocalist Domagoj Fišeković is a far cry from the primarily charismatic, yet also talented, frontmen of the era like, say, Thorsten Bergmann, Flemming Rönsdorf, or Joey Belladonna. The guy hasn't got quite the same range, but puts all he's got into his performance, like a modern version of Nasty Ronnie (some falsetto shrieks sure help), and he's not required to carry the songs on his own anyway. He's one of the two original members, but comparing the vocals in the two LPs there's absolutely no way one could guess it.

At any rate, here comes the time for recommendations, and luckily I didn't need to put much effort into hunting Sinister Seduction's best track. 'Stonehearst Asylum' starts the dance, and it has the potential to immediately obliterate the competition and set an unreachable bar with its seemingly unstoppable fury, at least until stumbling a bit in the middle with a slightly meandering bridge and a totally underwhelming (dare I say even out of sync with the music?) solo – not least since the leadwork is generally way more competent and shreddy, showcased already from the following 'Moonshine Rider'. Nevertheless, it still contains my favourite moment of the album, that is, the excellent pre-chorus riff, redefining the meaning of 'breakneck', and I can't think of many more apt ways to kickstart an album like this. I also liked the relentless 'Scream 'n' Shout' and the notable post-chorus in 'Reign Of Terror', but the eight songs are all awfully consistent, traditional-flavoured blasts from the past. Even the last song 'Blackened Sky' rejects the overplayed idea of the wannabe-epic closer by presenting another short, explosive slab of thrashy goodness. Single-mindedness isn't an issue in my book when a band is so focused and doesn't overstay its welcome. Naturally, an '80s aspect lacking is the same immediacy and memorability of the old dogs, which is a common issue in 2025, but it's even more tangible when you mix two genres thriving on those exact qualities. Not that basic, catchy lines are absent, but they don't possess that same unique flair that would render them immortal, so to speak.

But really, Sinister Seduction is a bonafide work of passion more than anything, in the best possible meaning. Thinking about it, I'd say it embodies perfectly what I refer to when I talk about 'passion'. Not that, dunno, Alcest or Sunn O))) don't put it into their music, but there's something about this thrash/heavy hybrid that simply screams fun, beers, and sweaty rehearsals in the bassist's garage. It's also backed up by some killer tunes here and there. What's not to like?

Rating: 8 out of 10