Time Signature Birth of a psycho...

Genre: thrash metal

So, Warbeast and Phil Anselmo join forces and release a split with two tracks each. Overall, the split has what a split should have, I think, featuring two artists which sound very different, but style have some stylistic overlaps.

While Phil Anselmo's two tracks are slightly difficult to pinpoint genrewise (although there definitely is a dominant thrash element), Warbeast's two tracks are more straightforward thrashers.

Their first track 'Birth of a Psycho' is a fierce uptempo and aggressive affair, featuring flesh-ripping riffage and fast-paced drums (and even some blastbeats). 'It' is not as fast as 'Virth of a Psycho', but no less aggressive. Featuring some aggressive, perhaps slightly primitive, riffage and a moshing-friendly chorus, 'It' is the epitome of aggressive thrash metal.

Overall, "War of the Gargantuas" is a split which should appeal to thrash fans in general, and, of course, to fans of Anselmo and Warbeast in particular.

UMUR "Krush the Enemy" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Texas based thrash metal act Warbeast. The album was released in April 2010 through Housecore Records. Warbeast were formerly known as Texas Metal Alliance (2006-2008). Texas Metal Alliance were originally formed to play a benefit show for former Hammer Witch bassist/vocalist Wayne Abney who suffered injuries from a motorcycle accident. The project was only meant to be a one-off and Texas Metal Alliance only played covers at this point, but as the audience response was so positive, the band opted for a name change and began writing original material for an album.

I had no prior knowledge to this project before listening to the album, but right of the bat the vocalist sounded familiar. First I thought it was Troy Dixler from the legendary tech thrashers in Sindrome, but after one more spin I came to the conclusion that it was Bruce Corbitt from Rigor Mortis. That guess was further strengthened when I read that Warbeast featured members and ex-members of acts like Gammacide, Malignancy and of course Rigor Mortis. All influential thrash metal acts on the late eighties/early nineties Texas scene. So yeah the members of Warbeast are definitely not newbies and that´s audible in the way they play their instruments. These guys are skilled and the thrash metal style they play on "Krush the Enemy" comes natural to them.

The 10 tracks on the 44:51 minutes long album are more or less no frills US thrash metal. It´s not retro old school and it´s not technical thrash metal either, but I guess the truth lies somewhere in between. There´s a definite old school aestethics about the release but these guys have a few more tricks up their sleeve. Some very well played guitar solos are one of the assets. Another asset is Bruce Corbitt´s strong and distinct sounding vocals but at the end of the day "Krush the Enemy" is just a very solid thrash metal album of a consistently high quality. Great playing, relatively simple but effective songwriting and a suiting raw production. A 3.5 star rating is deserved.