Angelus Apatrida reminds us of the importance of our actions with Aftermath, their eighth album.
Since 2000, the Spanish band made up of Guillermo Izquierdo (guitar/vocals), José J. Izquierdo (bass), David G. Álvarez (guitar) and Víctor Valera (drums/vocals) have been playing Thrash, and you can hear it! The album is released by Century Media Records, a label that has been following them for many years.
From the very first track, Scavenger, the band strikes hard with its mix of blast, sharp riffs and powerful vocal parts, while remaining catchy. Violence perfectly suits their aggressive jerky style, which slows down a little on Cold, letting some more airy leads stick to the catchy riffs, while lead vocals, sometimes joined by a few choirs, offer us some interesting diversity. The choruses are quite gentle, creating a contrast with the rawer parts as the break, then the band welcomes Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) to give a more Hardcore vibe to Snob, remaining in an Old School approach and making it perfect for a furious headbanging session. Fire Eyes offers a rather disquieting introduction before returning to heavier, groovier tones with Pablo García (WarCry) on guitars, punctuating its charge with mysterious sounds, then Rats stays with lively patterns borrowed from the style’s roots to ensure an explosive rhythm. There are a few slowdowns, however, and then To Whom It May Concern opens with a few soothing, soaring notes that are overwhelmed by the band’s firepower, but which occasionally resurface on this very long track. The band adopts a few heavy accents on Gernika, notably on the unifying choruses surrounded by effective riffs that accentuate each element, as on the frantic solos. The final lets us breathe, then I Am Hatred takes off again at full speed with its energetic rhythm overlaid with piercing screams, where the members don’t shy away from honoring the American scene of the genre. What Kills Us All welcomes Sho-Hai, a rapper with whose help they give a more vindictive tinge to their music, letting him lay down a passage in Spanish to reanimate Crossover before Todd La Torre (Queensrÿche, Bad Penny) encourages them to offer a touch of Prog on Vultures And Butterflies, the last composition, which nevertheless remains very consistent with what the band deploys.
Aftermath is of course infused with Angelus Apatrida’s aggressive impressive and Thrash, but the band is not content to stay within its own style, daring to include guests from different worlds to add an interesting touch of diversity. The gamble paid off!
90/100
