THRASHFIRE: Into The Armageddon
Release year: 2019
Label: Xtreem Music
With a name like Thrashfire, it’s not hard to set your expectations on the correct wavelenght. Naturally, what the band from Turkey offers is: thrash metal. And you won’t be surprised to hear that their approach to the genre is quite old school with little regards to modern currents or progressive, experimental takes on the genre.
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, when it’s done well.
The album starts on a deceptive note with a shrill, high-pitched shriek. No, this isn’t that kind of thrash metal! Steer your thoughts away from tight spandex pants. This is the dirty and raw kind of thrash born from a diet of copious amounts of Kreator, Sodom and – veering to a more death metal territory for a moment – Possessed. Heavy guitars, sharp riffing, vicious semi-growled vocals and relatively speedy tempos that keep your fists banging.
Whilst originality is on short supply here, Thrashfire make up for it on virtually all other fronts. The sound is heavy but clear, the drums pound aggressively but dynamically, the classic thrash riffwork is sharp and tight, and the Jeff Becerra/Mille Petrozza -school of shouted snarls add an extra ounce of heavy aggression to it all. The punch-packing material is performed with energy and gusto. The album as a whole is an obvious tribute to the heavier, harder names of the classic era of thrash, and as such, Into The Armageddon is a fine album.
Like in many other genres, there seems to be a strong old school/retro element to the modern thrash scene – generously it could be called tribute or revival, cynically unoriginal copying. When does a band cross from paying homage to trying to emulate? I don’t know, but when an album is as enjoyable and all-around decent as Into The Armageddon is, I’m prone to lump this with the former group, those who pay tribute instead of imitate.
In summary, Into The Armageddon offers absolutely nothing you haven’t heard before if thrash metal is your game. Despite this glaring unoriginality, Thrashfire manage to avoid coming across as a poor man’s copy of any of the classics. With their energy and the all-around decent material this album consists of, Thrashfire are certainly worthy of your time even if at least this album may not be a future classic.
3/5
Only Death Is Real 