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KNIFE
Heaven Into Dust

Napalm (2023)
Rating: 8/10

Upon seeing the music video for the title track of Knife’s second full-length outing it quickly became apparent that signing to a bigger label was a wise move. These ripping German thrashers now sound bigger and badder than ever and this sophomore opus is the kind of malicious kick one needs to not only start the day but end the night.

What you get here are ten face-melting tracks that spit with a punk attitude, especially in the harsh vocal rasps of Vince Nihil. A hyper old school Slayer, a riveting speed ball of black thrash; this is a lethal combination of extreme ingredients, a musical equivalent of having barbed wire threaded through your intestines!

Of course, Knife is more than just eye grating speed. Opener ‘Hawks Of Hades’ provides some steady crunch chugging amidst those clawing flurries and ‘With Torches They March’ is also more measured and less frantic. But admit it, you revisited these German maniacs because you wanted your bone marrow scraped out, your lungs raked and your veins frayed by their barbaric blackened thrash, and that’s guaranteed with the hellish ‘Night Vision’, the scathing ‘Iron Sceptre’ and the brace of tracks which end the record, namely ‘Realm Of Violence’ and ‘No Gods In The Dark’. The latter song shows how these guys have matured since their 2021 self-titled debut, but having said that they don’t do anything remotely different to the host of other bands of similarly chaotic design.

This is very much an exhausted genre and yet the black thrash speed sound still somehow remains appealing when spewed out in a certain fashion, and Knife’s new album is an example of such leathery, alcohol-driven madness.

Neil Arnold

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