Thrash metal hasn’t aged or developed nearly as well as death, doom, and black metal, and finding impactful bands and records in that subgenre has been a little tougher to accomplish. For every band such as, say, Midnight that has made a true mark over the last decade, there are plenty more that didn’t have what it takes to make people stand up and take notice.
Luckily, we in Pittsburgh have a gift to share with everyone else, that being Vicious Blade, whose debut record “Relentless Force” is about to land with the impact of an asteroid knifing through the earth. This nine-track, 28-minute pounder is an ideal follow-up to their 2022 EP “Siege of Cruelty, that was released by Steel City stronghold Our Ancient Future, and it shows even more confidence and tenacity from a band that wasn’t exactly bereft of those qualities. Redefining Darkness Records obviously took notice and brought Vicious Blade—vocalist Clarissa Badini (also of Castrator), guitarists Jeff Ellsworth and Erik Wynn, bassist Justin Pelissero, drummer Kevin Parent—into the fold to give them and this smothering record the added exposure they both richly deserve. As a lifelong fan of thrash, I’ve been excited about this band from the start, and it’s awesome to watch them climb to new heights and conquer fresh worlds.
The title track opens and burns its way in, the band setting up shop early with Badini’s wild howls ripping down your spine. The playing bruises hard, the guitars charging, a commanding storm collecting and blasting with defiance. “Lunacy” cuts open and moves forward with commanding speed and beasty calls, Badini wailing, “Lunacy is in control!” The pace gets deadlier as the soloing scorches, delivering great energy and meaty thrash that pulverizes bones. “Mistress of Death” crunches, Badini’s scathing voice peeling the whites from your eyes. Guttural and charging, the playing pushes you down as melodic leads explode and lather with power, and the attack continues to get more animalistic, guitars blazing to an abrupt end. “Visceral Weakness” brings added guitar sizzle, a direct and violent approach that leaves ample bruising. Things get wilder as the speed pedal is pushed through the floor, racing and tangling, leaving everything in a smoldering ash pile.
“Forged Steel” fires up with yelled vocals and guitars matching that venom, shrieks later adding a sharp edge to the proceedings. There’s a bit of a punk feel injected into the mix, scathing and melting as Badini declares, “We are forged steel.” “Blasphemous Conjuring” takes time to build its pressure, the playing eventually dashing and racing, devouring everything whole. Badini’s words paint a ritualistic picture, the guitars chugging along with her to further blacken skies, the leads catching fire and choking everything with smoke. “Nocturnal Slaughter” explodes out of the gates, throaty howls from Badini driving through your chest, fluid playing combining with audio violence that promises no mercy. As the track develops, so does the ferocity, becoming an even bigger factor, grinding bodies all the way to the finish. “Scorched” basks in corrosive growls and guitars that tease hyper speed, the charging making it tough to gain your footing, things even turning a little brighter amid all of the carnage. The pace gets chunkier and bloodier, going head first into the furnace, refusing to take any safety precautions. Closer “Death Blow” actually opens with cleaner guitars, letting the humidity become a factor, eventually ripping through guts as the madness comes to life. Throaty howls blacken eyes, airy melodies add new texture to the thrash brutality, darkness enveloping as everything comes to a morbid end.
Vicious Blade not only keeps their thrash metal sword dangerously sharp and bloody, but they also prove their meddle is solid as hell on “Relentless Force.” The band continues to build on their already powerful foundation with this first full serving that should announce their arrival with an impact that will knock people on their asses. We in Pittsburgh already know what this band brings to the table, and with Redefining Darkness behind them, the rest of the world is about to learn thrash is alive, well, and dripping with blood.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/viciousbladepgh
To buy the album, go here: https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.us/
Or here (rest of the world): https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.com/
For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/redefiningdarkness
Meat Mead Metal 