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ESPIONAGE
Digital Dystopia

Self-released (2018)
Rating: 8/10

Melbourne, Australia-based thrashers Espionage are a new name to me. Formed in 2014, Espionage put their lyrical focus on tales of futuristic issues.

Digital Dystopia is the debut full-length release from Andrew “Frosty” Morris (lead vocals and bass), Denis Sudzuka (lead guitar and backing vocals), Matt Carroll (rhythm guitar) and James Shelverton (drums), and it’s an enjoyable sci-fi thrash romp that runs for just under 45 minutes.

After a short and seemingly mandatory introduction (‘Prelude To Power’) we get ‘Enter The Arena’, a track that is big on melody and gallops with healthy aplomb. Hints of Megadeth don’t just emerge with the album title as we find ourselves wrapped up in a rather steely grace, although lyrically it’s more of a power metal heap speaking of “stallions of steel” and how “the sky above rumbles”. It’s effective and rather neat in its structure though, as we’re offered a steady gallop and nice vocal power and prowess from Andrew Morris.

Maybe I expected the usual Bay Area-styled crunchiness, but I’m rather pleased to say that this one emerges triumphantly as a tight and nifty record featuring some nice lead work too. The combo mostly offers thrashy power metal rushes (‘Light Begins To Fade’) that takes traditional metal values and spruce them up into polished bouts of speedy melody, while ‘Nightmare Approaches’ brings a darker edge as the riffs fizz with confidence and the vocals become high-pitched wails of ear-splitting quality.

‘Hellfire’ is equally potent; again, there’s that speedy context and punchy percussion before the harmonious lead is threaded into the mesh of metallic fury. ‘Haunting Horror’ builds with suspense, meanwhile, and then really hammers home in the bass and percussive sense. The outfit then go full-tilt with their blazing Dio-on-acid style of powerful menace, which is also evident on other cuts such as the stirring title track and mature closer ‘Wartorn Atrocities’. Again, it’s the vocal meat which takes this one up a notch. To be fair though, everyone is on point as they throw in effortless key changes to provide us what is essentially a fiery mix of blustery melodic thrash and solid straight up metal. Hats off again to the leads of Denis Sudzuka; he just owns the record with a formidable performance, especially with some flamenco touches.

Digital Dystopia is a very strong record, and one of the best things to come out of Australia for a long time. Hopefully the band will spread their wings and emerge from the shadows of Melbourne, and go on to paint the rest of the world with their rather masterful brand of sizzling, high wattage metal.

Neil Arnold

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