Artist: Godslave
Label: SAOL
Release: 2011
Runtime: 47:57
Rating: 4.5/5
The German thrash metal legions boast a hell of a lot of thrash names, which is why the genre is still way more than just vegetating after a solid three decades. Names like Sodom, Kreator, Destruction, Celtic Frost, Tankard and Holy Moses carved the Teutonic world into the metal map in steel and indelible ink a long time ago, and the younger legions are getting more numerous too, with thrash enriched by death metal and other harder ingredients. Among the higher-quality names on the roster of the German echelon of the heavy-sounding elite, you can also count a young outfit from Saarbrücken, Godslave. Their 2008 debut Bound By Chains, two thrash split albums released afterward and the EP Out Of The Ashes proved that the quintet is well-versed both technically and idea-wise, and the final argument for convincing the unconvinced has been available since this spring: the high-octane thrash album Into The Black. The recipe of this metallurgical product stays true to the heritage of Bay Area thrash as well as to native German roots, which make the raw aggression even more destructive and tougher than ever. The main change compared to the past isn’t so much in the playing itself or in stylistic additions, but in the fact that the guys have left the shelter of underground anonymity and independence and become a link in the chain of quality bands under the wings of the SAOL label.
What sets Godslave apart from the rest of the metal battalions is that they actually have everything modern thrash metal needs: a strong set of original songs, a potent crew of good musicians, a juicy and recognizable sound, weight, precision and a huge appetite for proving themselves, while their genetic code brutally mixes the influences of Slayer, Exodus, Destruction, Sodom and then some. Into The Black is, in the manner of Teutonic tectonics, made for entertaining the masses, and besides straight-up thrashing, the youngsters weave elements of speed metal and raw, unrefined, garage-bred NWOBHM into the fabric completely naturally and tastefully. They don’t reinvent the wheel – they just serve up an improved version and a conglomerate of the best in the metal nexus. The Slavegrunter’s vocals stay rustically raspy, but the young singer doesn’t rack his brain over sky-high ranges and instead sticks to the lower, yet nicely aggressive register. The guitar duo of Gnomos and Bernie works tight and well-oiled, and a string of well-thought-out riffs is laced with old-school vignettes of brilliant solo outbursts. The rhythm section, made up of Huwig’s drums and Blitz’s bass, provides a solid frame for a tribute to the gods of the past, and Godslave stack one highlight on top of another. The very start of the record, the song Thrashed, offers extra value, as the soloing virtuoso of Destruction, Mike Sifringer, serves you a full helping of top-notch solos.
His fingers make the already tasty dish even better on the song Scholar Eclipse, and the list of guest stars doesn’t end there. On the title track Into The Black, vocal duties are taken over by the singer of Sacred Steel, while on the war-ready instrumental A Shot In The Dark the lead guitarists of Mekong Delta and Celesta share the soloing brush. Despite all the guest spots, Godslave’s sound is clear and anything but schizophrenic, and in terms of execution they can proudly stand toe to toe with outstanding acts like Lazarus A.D., Evile or Warbringer. Godslave are the hope of a new generation, one that can build on tradition and keep it alive and screaming-bright in the new millennium too. Into The Black is a solid, truly killer-sounding album, and after taking it in it’s crystal clear that, after conquering Europe, the time has come for world domination and for taking over battlefields across the pond! Godslave are well armed for this mission and more than just roughly prepared!
This review was made in collaboration between RockLine and Rock Hard Slovenija.
Lineup
Thomas A. “The Slavegrunter” Pickard – vocals
Michael “Gnomos” Meyer – guitar
Bernhard “Bernie” Lorig – guitar
Christian “Blitz” Federmann – bass
Tobias Huwig – drums
Guest musicians:
– Mike Sifringer (Destruction)- lead guitar on 1 & 9
– Gerrit P. Mutz (Sacred Steel) – vocals on 12
– Benedikt Zimniak (Mekong Delta) – lead guitar (2nd solo) on 8
– Manuel Zewe (Celesta)- lead guitar (first solo) on 8
Production
Phil Hillen
Tracklist
1. Thrashed (Featuring: Mike Sifringer (Destruction))
2. Anvilised
3. Insomniaddict
4. Unleash the Slaves
5. Slippery When Dead
6. Blood of the Innocent
7. Why I Hate
8. A Shot In The Dark (Featuring: Manuel Zewe (Celesta) & Benedikt Zimniak (Mekong Delta))
9. Scholar Eclipse (Featuring: Mike Sifringer (Destruction))
10. Uncut, Unseen, Unrated
11. Zombie Panic Holocaust
12. Into the Black (Featuring: Gerrit P. Mutz (Sacred Steel))
