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DEATHBLOW
The Other Side Of Darkness EP

Self-released (2015)
Rating: 7/10

Hailing from Salt Lake City comes thrash metal band Deathblow. The guys began life in 2008 as Dethblo, and only changed to this moniker in 2012. Last year the quartet released its 2014 debut album Prognosis Negative, but hot on the heels of that comes this new EP.

What we get are five tracks, which first and foremost are let down by the rather dodgy band logo and amateurish cover art. Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that it’s what is inside that counts and Deathblow are most certainly not shy of paying homage to their thrash metal heroes – as are most bands within the scene today.

The EP begins with ‘Beyond Obsession’, which actually sounds as if it were recorded back in the 80s. Indeed, this is actually a good thing because in today’s climate bands are so obsessed with the 80s, and yet while intent on imitation often sound like a weary mimic let down by production and a complete lack of knowledge of a time when they were probably not even born. Having said that, Deathblow most certainly are not original, and I fail to see why an American band would become so obsessed with sounding German, but then again the track is entitled ‘Beyond Obsession’!

The chugging rhythms, the spiteful snarling vocals and the faster segments of malice hint at the likes of Sodom and Kreator with those expected touches of Slayer, but for the most part it’s Teutonic worship as the band thrash hell for leather with the barrage of Handsome Dan’s malevolent drum splatter and yet more so in the twin guitar toil of Udem and Holger; the latter also providing those mocking vocal flairs.

There are some nice injections of pace, especially with the frantic frothing of ‘Means To An End’ which begins in sinister although slightly out of tune fashion. Again, it brings to mind Slayer before embarking upon a journey of rage. However, with too much contemporary thrash employing glossy techniques and losing all sense of what makes a vicious thrash album, Deathblow do well to incorporate a certain gnarliness to the guitar sound and vocal spits. The slower passages remain as menacing as the obvious pacier sections; the title track comes out hammering to the point of self-implosion, and again there’s that Slayer nastiness coupled with the rusty potency of old Destruction. The foursome brings in some nice melodic touches too, suggesting a maturity and intelligence beyond the homage.

‘Headless Throne’ begins with simmering fashion and then takes on a punchy hardcore feel, but again the band resorts to Slayer-esque tactics, bringing with it the sort of low-budget intensity of some of the lesser known Geman acts of the time with minor flecks of early Voivod. However, it’s still not the most memorable piece of thrash metal you’ll hear this side of the century; all the usual formulas are in place, and you know that as every riff comes rushing by that you’ve heard it countless times before.

There’s only so much imitation I can take, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; some bands just have that touch more conviction than others and I actually enjoy what Deathblow does – especially with the punked up frenzy of ‘Death Wish’, which is probably the album’s catchiest yet most aggressive slab. Yes, at times it is all a tad mediocre in spite of its hostility, but one senses a great deal of effort was put into this EP. Whether Deathblow has enough in its armoury to succeed within a jam-packed scene remains to be scene.

Neil Arnold

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