Combining extreme thrash metal with the most primitive of old school death metal, the German veterans in Witchburner certainly know how to craft a release that harkens back to the thrash scene of the late eighties' and early nineties'. With 2013's Bloodthirsty Eyes - the band's seventh full length observation - Witchburner doesn't waste any time fooling around with modern gimmicks, and instead focuses on a full-on assault of old school thrash metal reminiscent of what the genre sounded like when Witchburner first formed back in 1992. Bloodthirsty Eyes is clearly the result of years of experience and dedication to extreme music, and though the album doesn't do very much to stand out from the crowd, its strong execution makes for a recommended listen.
The style of music on Bloodthirsty Eyes draws from the extreme thrash of bands like Kreator and Slayer, and also incorporates a few early death metal influences from acts like Death (during the Scream Bloody Gore era) and Obituary. A large portion of Witchburner's death metal influence is due to Pino Hecker's harsh vocals, which are reminiscent of a young Chuck Schuldiner or Patrick Mameli. It's a vocal delivery that suits the aggressive nature of the music perfectly. Bloodthirsty Eyes is a rather short album, clocking in at around 35 minutes, but it does remain powerful and entertaining the entire way through; personally, I prefer albums to be around this length when we're talking about such aggressive music.
My biggest gripe with Bloodthirsty Eyes is that, whilst it is very entertaining while it's playing, the album doesn't leave much of a lasting impression on its listener. Witchburner doesn't explore any uncharted territory here, but thankfully the high quality of the album's riffs and musicianship still make for an enjoyable listen. Although not terribly inventive, Bloodthirsty Eyes is a well-executed old school thrash metal assault that fans of the genre should investigate.
Track Listing:
1. Sermon of Profanity (5:55)
2. Possession (2:47)
3. Master and Slave (3:39)
4. Path of the Sinner (3:30)
5. Apocalyptic Visions (4:01)
6. Bloodthirsty Eyes (3:38)
7. Never Surrender (3:26)
8. Spirit of the Dead (4:23)
9. The Bringer of Disease (4:10)
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