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PANSOPHIC
The 2023 Massacre

Self-released (2023)
Rating: 5/10

Rather generic in its vocal outbursts, Canada’s Pansophic unleashes its second full-length outing, The 2023 Massacre. This is standard modern thrash that probably thinks it’s of throwback design but, unfortunately, it doesn’t have the desired effect.

I like the cover art, even if it’s nothing new, and some if the riffs zip with vigour, but damn this record is overlong at 57 minutes and that’s because several songs are drawn out, particularly the ten-minute ‘Left For The Rats’ and the near eight-minute ‘No Sympathy For The Pitiful’. Seriously guys, even Metallica couldn’t get away with such snoozefests.

The contemporary hardcore-ish shouts grate on the nerves all too quickly and although the band provide some strong melodies and shifts, ‘Lifeblood Of Evil’ being a good example, the album would’ve benefitted by being snappier, achieved by shedding at least ten minutes of its duration. The production isn’t great either; songs like ‘Ostrakon (Trial By Television)’ feel a touch thin and mechanical and so the bass is more of a twang than a rumble.

‘Forsaken’, although too long at six-minutes, is infectious in its chugs, and the slower manoeuvres of ‘Behold: Extinction’ work well, but there is still that feeling of too much simmering and not enough slap, and when the snaps come it feels a bit generic. ‘Rorschach’ – again too long – sounds like one of those confused and weak thrash tracks the early 90s were riddled with. Even so, this is a listenable record musically but the vocals are just irritating.

Neil Arnold

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