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NIGHT SLASHER
Night Slasher

Sliptrick (2024)
Rating: 7.5/10

These Vilnius, Lithuania-based black thrashers are a new name on the block and they come adorned in black leather and studded belts and light their way with flaming torches. Starting out as Alcotopia in 2014, the quartet of Laurynas Karka (vocals), Juozapas Bočkus (guitar), Tomas Ivanovas (bass) and Dimitrijus Matvejevas (drums) released one album – It Hits The Spot – in 2019 before they started to morph into something far darker.

This album, from the off, is a pretty raw, sneering debut that would act as a perfect soundtrack to any apocalypse. While as Alcotopia the combo had more in common with Tankard, but as Night Slasher the band is now better suited to the same pitch black domains as Hellripper.

As opener ‘Ice’ proves, seminal acts such as Bathory, Venom and vintage Destruction still influence today’s bands and that’s what Night Slasher is all about. The throaty vocal menace, the lethal scathing riffs, the juggernaut bass and those scorching hell beats transport the listener back to those demonic days when Bathory’s Quorthon Seth was breathing fire and Venom thought more of Satan than their parents.

Although a lot of bands sound like this, Night Slasher is able to craft a batch of memorable songs while also boasting a creative edge, particularly with a slower number like ‘Pit Of Hate’ which has that punky Venom vibe. Meanwhile, ‘Satan In The Hall’ is very interesting with its groove and choppy raps. Most if the songs though are speedy rust buckets that cast off black, metallic shards (‘Clyster Lizard’ is a good example), but within each track there are numerous traditional metal nods and infectious designs of pure steel. So, this is not the chaotic cauldron I was expecting but instead a rewarding journey that should separate Night Slasher from the hellish hordes plying a similar trade.

Neil Arnold

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