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CHARRED
Lasting In Pain EP

Self-released (2022)
Rating: 8/10

Charred is some chunky death metal with thrashy flirtations and Lasting In Pain is the new EP, coming three years after debut full-length Prayers Of Malediction.

As expected from this Floridian bunch, there is a strong old school odour throughout this five-track affair. The thrashers will like the faster segments offered up by the quartet, such as in the excellent ‘Mist Of Blood’.

There are some fantastically catchy slower passages of chunkiness too. Opener ‘Shadows From The Atomic Bomb’ builds very well with that fleshy drum stab, and the mid-paced barrages are simplistic yet brutal. Guitarist Nick Cody’s vocals, although standard, provide enough density to carry this track through.

At times, death metal can become extremely generic, but if executed right there’s much to savour. Just look at the likes of Frozen Soul who took the Bolt Thrower sound but married it with other influences successfully. And that’s what I get from Charred, a band that is tidy, no frills yet riveting all the same due to the catchiness and chunky dynamics.

The title track features some excellent, atmospheric guitar work and a heavy mid-paced section that smokes before speeding up and flaying skin. There’s even a traditional metal flirtation on offer as well alongside a classic thrash reminder – and that’s what makes Charred so enthralling.

‘Celestial Gate’ is straight up thrash complete with killer axe work, and ‘The Sword That Spits The Skull’ – first featured on the 2017 demo of the same name – has a decent crossover chug before the death / thrash sentiments take over.

So this is where we are at with Charred; a steady, reliable extreme metal act that effortlessly mixes styles but without any real complexity. The vocals lash with a raw ferocity as each track grabs you with a chunky, fleshed-out hand coated in old school dripping.

I’ve followed these guys since the beginning and admire their dedication and refusal to buckle to trend all the way, expressing solid death / thrash connotations within their stable framework.

Neil Arnold

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