The next generation of Thrash Metal comes from Sweden, and it’s called Bloodstain.
Formed in 2023, the band quickly released an EP and began touring extensively, even performing at several international festivals. In 2026, Oskar Lindroos (guitar/vocals), Jonathan Thyberg (bass), Benjamin Norgren (drums), and Tobias Ozzy Lindström (guitar, Eternal Evil) signed with Threeman Recordings for the release of their debut album, the self-titled Bloodstain.
Annihilation Line opens with majestic choruses, offering a rather grandiose moment before thrash roots take over, skillfully blending with soaring elements while the vocalist bellows, sometimes accompanied by his bandmates or letting the guitar leads speak for him, revealing the melodic, heavy-tinged side of the band. Pure violence returns with Something Sinister, the next track already much rawer and darker which nonetheless benefits from an excellent mix that allows each instrument to shine, particularly during the groovy sections or the piercing harmonics. The same holds true for I Am Death, which doesn’t hesitate to incorporate martial-style sections and draw inspiration from the genre’s legends to develop its aggressive and catchy sound, before offering a respite with the soothing introduction to Carved into Stone, the album’s power ballad which contrasts palpable melancholy with powerful, haunting sections. The band picks up the pace as soon as Taint Me kicks off, returning to the roots of its sharp, jagged riffs, once again drawing inspiration from the American scene to sharpen its own weapons before unleashing even more imposing ones on Disdained which prioritizes heaviness before letting harmonics weave their way in. The vocals also play an important role in the track’s atmosphere, which lightens up again with Lies Bleeding Through, even as the song is carried along by the musicians’ various accelerations, they enjoy great freedom on this lengthy composition, which even includes a break introduced by a sampled bell. Conspiracy takes over, oscillating between Thrash and Heavy Metal while keeping its Old School roots intact, blending them seamlessly and featuring accessible clean vocals alongside more energetic choruses whereas Faceless Dealer is sharper and more uncompromising, allowing almost no breathing room to really make us bang our heads. The album concludes with Banner of Supremacy” which lets an alarm sound as a brief respite before unleashing the riffs, whether during the verses and choruses where the vocalist accompanies them, or on the furious lead sections that round out the track.
If you love Old School Thrash Metal, Bloodstain is definitely the band for you to take you back to the ’80s! There are no missteps on Bloodstain, and the energy I loved seeing them perform live is still there!
90/100
