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ASSYLUM
Far Beyond Madness

Self-released (2024)
Rating: 7/10

I’m not sure if the band name is meant to be funny, but anyway, this Chilean act has a strong Slayer vibe with this, their second full-length release. It’s been six years since debut album Terror, but not much has changed; the band remains aggressive in that early-to-mid Slayer-style, particularly in the vocals of guitarist Ignacio Cristi.

Being a South American act, Assylum maintains that wild, chaotic air without necessarily channelling the primal rawness of the original death-thrash scene from the continent. Far Beyond Madness has a cleaner sound, especially the bass lines of Cristian Muñoz Rubio whose potent rumbles provide the spine of this 50 minute record.

The most impressive, or should I say surprising aspect of this release are the melodic segments. Sure, the album rips hard but the guys aren’t merely content with mashing your ears, so you’ll find interesting pockets within the tumult as evidenced on ‘Ownthanasia’ and the killer title track with its infectious chorus.

The band also has a lot in common with Anthrax, Exodus, Megadeth and some of the Teutonic forces. It’s a clever combination of fury and clinical yet measured aggression which comes to the fore on ‘Trapped Inside’ and ‘Delusion’ where again the bass is the star.

I come across a lot of stuff like this, independent thrash that eventually turns out cheap and generic, but with their sophomore platter Assylum really have crafted a good thrash composition.

Neil Arnold

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