Shrapnel - The Devastation To Come EP Review

They Say :-

Forget revivals. Forget reunions. There is only now. There is only THRASH.

Thrash metal has been pumping our veins full of hot adrenalin for the last three decades and regardless of commercial peaks and troughs, it continues to be the true fire that burns within heavy metal’s immortal heart. Exploding out from the deceptively genteel streets of Norwich, England, riff-wielding die-hards Shrapnel are one of the finest new bands to proclaim their devotion to keeping the thrash flame blazing.

'Proper' thrash metal has been around for a fair while now and regardless of trends and fads at its heart it has stayed true to it's pounding, neck-wrecking roots with wave after wave of new bands carrying the flag for the next generation (god I feel old writing that :)).

At the very bleeding edge of the latest wave of pure thrash are Norwich mob Shrapnel, another shining example of the no nonsense approach and a band who proudly wear their influences on their sleeves as they build on the proud heritage they have inherited from bands like Testament, Slayer and Exodus. But this is not a band stuck in the past and although the genre is still clearly rooted in the 80s scene here the sound has been brought bang up to date with the infusion of more modern influences and top drawer production courtesy of the legendary Russ Russell, perhaps best known for his work with Napalm Death and Dimmu Borgir. This is something of a coup for a small band as the great man is in considerable demand. As guitarist Chris Martin puts it “Russ has the knowledge and experience and the opportunity came up. Did you hear Evile’s Infected Nations album or Napalm’s Time Waits For No Slave? Woah! We knew we could get what we were after with Russ and the end result has been beyond our expectations.”

The EP opens in classic style with Eternal War, a sure-fire live neck breaker which exudes agression and showcases both the band's ability and the benefits of proper production. Shrapnel clearly know how to write a riff and, certainly compared to may of their peers, can wrap them into the tracks without it sounding like they've stopped the song to let the guitarists show off.

This initial ferocity is maintained in the second track, Toxic Slaughter which is as good an example of the genre as you can get with its changes of pace and feel and some stunningly good guitar work.

Comatose, the third track, tries to be something a little different. Unfortunately it's the same 'a little different' that lots of other modern thrash bands try and as a result, isn't. It's still a good slow, heavy, pounding track but doesn't quite reach the heights of the rest of EP.

This release does undoubtedly end on a high with Hammer Blow where once again the band do what they do best and just let rip.

The Devastation To Come is a powerful statement of intent from a band who fully deserve their place at the forefront of the resurgent UK thrash scene. This release is just the next step for the band, now they have to go out and deliver on the considerable promise it shows where it matters most, on stage. This suits Chris and the guys just fine. As he puts it "Everything is aggressive, everything is loud and we mean it. We're tight, we're fast and we're driven. I want bands to leave me half dead so why shouldn't we do the same thing?"

Bring it on !!

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