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FAST EVIL
The Old Dark Stories

Classic Metal (2023)
Rating: 8/10

Brazilian speed metal outfit Fast Evil returns with a nifty little record wrapped in an engaging slice of cover art courtesy of Quinho Ravelli, this being the band’s second full-length album which follows on from the 2018 debut The Midnight Force.

What you get with these guys is a rattling metal opus full of aggression and atmosphere where vocalist Marcio Bastos pulls of an impressive King Diamond impression for the duration. Eight tracks are on offer and although the album runs just short of 30 minutes it’s an intriguing slice of darkly clad metal with plenty of thrashing nastiness and dollops of melody, as evidenced from the ghoulish opener ‘Mary In The Mirror’ with those squawking vocal snaps and brooding axe work from Diego Dourado.

Naturally, the Gothic themes continue as Fast Evil explores Egyptian mythology on ‘Anubis’, while ‘Ghost Town’ has a simmering quality about its molten groove. There is an apparent diversity about these guys though; ‘Indians’ is a fiery romp with scathing axe work, ‘Silent Night’ again boasts that mesmerising 80s nostalgic metal feel with its shimmering percussion, and ‘Book Of Lore’ provides quite the metallic rumble.

Fast Evil serve up a rather theatrical metal stomp that drifts towards thrashy nuances but – just like King Diamond and Mercyful Fate – there is always that ever-present level of drama, and that’s why there is such an appeal.

Neil Arnold

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