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JACKDEVIL
Unholy Sacrifice

Urubuz (2014)
Rating: 6.5/10

I wish I wasn’t so bloody sceptical when it comes to analysing all these new thrash bands which are currently clogging up my arteries. JackDevil are the latest thrash metal combo to hit the lights. Emerging from São Luís, Maranhão in Brazil, this quartet can’t be questioned when it comes to their passion, although question marks could of course be put against their fashion. Yes, it’s another case of tight black jeans, black vests and big, new pumps (trainers) to complete their thrash-by-numbers guise.

I dunno, it’s probably just me, but the modern wagon of thrash disciples just has a hint of the manufactured. Strip away the image, however, and JackDevil aren’t a bad bunch when it comes to furious thrash.

JackDevil is fronted by André Nadler, who is convincing as the archetype thrash frontman, and he’s also responsible for the savage guitars alongside Ricardo Andrade. The armour is reinforced by drummer Filipe Oliveira and bass machine Renato Igor. Despite my cynicism – which must of course come with age and the fact I’m not down with the kids – as debut albums go this is a nifty effort.

There are ten tracks in total, all running at a blistering pace and combining traditional metal, ie Iron Maiden, with a touch of San Francisco Bay Area gang chanting along with just a dash of European speed. Imagine a mix of Exodus, Whiplash, Judas Priest, Slayer, Destruction and Possessed, which isn’t bad for a set of influential ingredients. Of course, after a few spins you may quickly tire of the likes of the opening title track, ‘Thrash Demons Attack’ (with its overly domineering bass) and ‘Killing Razors’, but when the band hit their stride they are more than adequate at churning out formulaic yet fiery grooves, namely ‘Age Of Antichrist’, ‘Behind The Walls’ and ‘Under The Metal Command’.

It’s no frills metal that is straight and true, and it should hold your attention for at least its duration. Given that, for all of its flaws, Unholy Sacrifice is one of the better modern thrash records I’ve heard since the dreaded new wave took our ears a few years ago now. Whether anyone will remember these guys remains to be seen. When we put JackDevil’s debut alongside some of the greatest thrash metal debuts in history, it pales embarrassingly in comparison, but Unholy Sacrifice is what it is, a semi-solid routine mosher that will please mostly those into revival thrash metal.

Neil Arnold

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