Ready for some blistering, neck-snapping thrash? Well, UK act Shrapnel is ready to deliver the goods on their brand new album for Candlelight Records, titled The Virus Conspires. With a nod to the classic Bay Area scene but also rich in modern extreme metal tones, The Virus Conspires shows a band that seems to be peaking musically speaking, with rip roaring riffs, solos, and jackhammer rhythms at every juncture, kick ass songs that evoke vintage Metallica, Exodus, Testament, Megadeth, and Annihilator, and oozing attitude. The thing that differentiates Shrapnel from so many of these other thrash 'wannabes' on the scene today is that they are not recycling riffs, arrangements, and melodies from all those greats I just mentioned. Instead, these guys have taken their influences and gone to the next level with them, creating an attack that is just pulverizing and immensely enjoyable. "Red Terror", "Titan", "The Watchers", and the crushing title track just steamroll ahead like a runaway train, licks & riffs just flying all over the place with plenty of mean intent. In some ways these guys remind me of a more thrash oriented Children of Bodom, especially earlier in their career, when their sound was fresh, exciting, and full of venom.
The Virus Conspires is kick ass, violent fun that any metal head is sure to enjoy. If you are in the mood for quality thrash and want to weed out all the pretenders and get to the cream of the crop, make sure Shrapnel are at the top of your list.
Track Listing
1. Kingdom Come
2. Titan
3. Braindead
4. 22
5. The Virus Conspires
6. The Wake
7. Red Terror
8. The Watchers
9. PsuedoCommando
10. Poison The Mind
11. All That We Know
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