Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Blood Tsunami - Thrash Metal - 2007 - Candlelight Records

Track Listing1. Evil Unleashed 2. Let Blood Rain 3. Rampage Of Revenge 4. Infernal Final Carnage 5. Devoured By Flames 6. Torn Apart 7. Godbeater 8. Killing Spree

As if thrash metal needed any other raw-edged exhibits put on display for hardened leathernecks worldwide, Norway's Blood Tsunami decide to do...well...just one more. The young group of axe machines join forces with legendary drummer Faust (Emperor, Zyklon) to release their debut record aptly titled "Thrash Metal". With a combination release through Candlelight Records/Nocturnal Art Productions this hot wind of Hell burns up the night with a tooling of two decades worth of whip-your-neck-scorching-Motorbreath thrash, all amped up, riffed up, and tighter than a nun's snatch. Blood Tsunami lays down a wicked foundation of dual guitar leads and chops with plenty of confidence, almost re-imagining a back catalogue of Kreator, Metallica, and Exodus in route to a blistering debut that leaves me wondering just how far the envelope has now been pushed.

Fans of today's "throwback" bands (Witchery, Municipal Waste) will spoon this up with pride and dignity as they hear riff after scorching riff of classic thrash metal. Many of you have heard the amazing skinsman Faust in action time and time again, but who would have thought the unknown combo of Pete Evil (lead guitar & vocals) and Dor Amazon (lead guitar & backing vocals) could shell out this kind of chemistry on a rookie try. The two combine to lay down some amazing twin guitar, effectively using tight riffs that change three to four times over through the tracks, usually soaring into huge leads once or twice. Tracks like "Rampage Of Revenge" and "Devoured By Flames" are smooth, well calculated efforts that use a virtuoso building block of chops and leads over blackend vocals (Evil) overlapped with some deep growls (bassist Bosse). Opener "Evil Unleashed" is like a wicked romp of Bay Area titans Overkill mixed with Exodus, while a track like "Let Blood Rain" is straight out of the Slayer workshop. Favorites for me are the mosh-happy "Infernal Final Carnage" and strong finisher "Killing Spree".



--EC 08.14.07