Like the Northern Caspian, Black/Thrash is rather wide genre, and one that is equally as shallow. Stuffed to the gills with bands that score high marks on style and low on doing much more than aping Whipstriker, the name of the game is often speed and fury rather than expanding the sonic palette. It is what it is. Thrash’s well went dry when it tried to reach for the stars and began to experiment, with things bottoming out early enough that even Demolition Hammer couldn’t save it.
Still, every Metalhead has a soft spot for a ripper, elevating even the most middling bands to headliner status. When the band has a solid footing? To the fuckin’ moon, man. People are willing to overlook any number of KK Warslut’s myriad faults for high speed skanks and scooped palm mutes.
It’s from that Destroyer 666 worshipping enclave that Demiser ascends, bestowing on us a rather thicc slab of Black/Thrash “Through The Gate Eternal“. Shades of the early German scene wave as they trot by, sneering, dressed in Black. Though Demiser never fully reaches the speedy tempos of the Teutons, instead resting into a more comfortable upper-mid paced sprint, there’s a reliance on weight to move things forward. There’s a ton of muscle here, perhaps reliant on the band’s roots in Old Glory, perhaps a function of personal style. Demiser comes off like a Heavyweight fighter here; not as quick, but that much more punishing.
If the album has any real faults it’s likely the clean and clear production. Pristine to an extent. While something can be said for the mass appeal such clarity brings (and likely will – I suspect “Gate” will end up on a few year-end lists,) it feels like it’s missing some of the charm that most Black/Thrash brings to the table. That’s where the ‘Black’ comes in; it’s not talking about evil, or well placed tremolo riffs, but the air of menace and occult atmosphere that a truly shit production job can impart. That joy of having something a little grimy, un-compromised by third parties. With all their chops, and an ear for hooks (see the appropriately named “Hook And Torment”,) the album’s done a disservice by sounding like the band has already entered their Napalm Records period.
Then again, riffs.
It’s out now, vinyl via the monumental Boris Records – go buy it and support the scene.
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