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Deathblow: The Other Side of Darkness

I live near Salt Lake City, Utah, and have often commented on the quality of local bands in the area. The nice thing about Salt Lake metal is that much of it goes straight for the jugular. Some of the bands I've seen over the years (Burn Your World, Visigoth, Merlin's Beard, and many others) perform with a power and an intensity that easily rivals any of the better-known touring bands.

I've never seen Deathblow live (I'll fix that!) but they certainly belong in the same category as the other bands I've mentioned in terms of their overall quality. Here's a band that unapologetically writes thrash songs that play to the rawness of the early years of the style. I'm reluctant to call this throwback thrash, however. No, this is thrash that simply understands what this style can do when it's fuelled by anger and passion and talent. If you like thrash metal, this is essential listening. Just check out "Death Wish" and you'll see what I mean.

While you're here, be sure to check out the album art. It connects the gore of the chest-burster scene from Alien with the terrors of a violent nightmare and the fear of madness all at the same time. This is good stuff. This EP drops in April and is well worth the wait.

See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!

Track Listing:
1. Beyond Obsession
2. Means to an End
3. The Other Side of Darkness
4. Headless Throne
5. Death Wish

Added: July 24th 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1752
Language: english

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Deathblow: The Other Side of Darkness
Posted by Pete Pardo, SoT Staff Writer on 2015-07-24 08:03:30
My Score:

Here's a 5 song EP from Salt Lake City thrash act Deathblow, four youngsters probably too young to remember the early days of Dark Angel, Slayer, Blind Illusion, Possessed, or Exodus, but they've more than harnessed that classic US early/mid '80s thrash sound on The Other Side of Darkness. Forgot about the slick production values or the Metallica/Megadeth clone elements we hear from so many of these throwback thrash bands nowadays, this is gutsy, raw, aggressive metal that sounds underground, and is. Pummeling rhythms, raging, testosterone fueled riffs, blazing lead guitar solos, and angry, gruff vocals. The title track just flat out kicks ass with raw, primal aggression, while "Beyond Obsession" is just so 1987 that any any old school metal head will have a hard time not falling completely head over heels for this raging thrash monster. "Headless Throne" rampages with venomous intent, as does the fiery but groove laden closer "Death Wish", and when that ones over you'll certainly be left wanting more, much more.


This is seriously good stuff folks, from a thrash band who we should all be keeping a close eye on from this point on. If they have a full length release in their not too distant future I'm guessing it's going to be massive.




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