It’s impossible not to know Master.
Active since 1983 first in the United States and then in Czechia, the band led by Paul Speckmann (bass/vocals, Death Strike, ex-Krabathor, ex-Abomination), Alex “93” Nejezchleba (guitar, Shaark, ex-Death Strike), and Peter Bajci (drums, ex-Amortez) will release their sixteenth album, Among The Seeds Of Death, in 2026.
Twas Always a Plan is the perfect track to open the album; with its wild, old-school-style rhythm section and morbid vocals, it has everything it takes to make us immediately start headbanging while the trio unleashes its riffs! No let-up, no compromises, a few lead guitar parts join the fray to amplify the macabre atmosphere, and the same goes for Among the Seeds of Death, the much shorter title track that immediately delivers a heavy, oppressive vibe without sacrificing any of its aggression. The thrash element is also very much present, offering sharp bursts before letting the bass introduce Injustice and Lack of Remorse, which naturally follows and, in turn, hits hard at a brisk pace just like the previous tracks. The track cuts off and then suddenly picks up again, propelling us into A Cell with a Door and No Slave, which starts off fairly slowly but ultimately hits us just as hard as its predecessors, drawing on a particularly energetic rhythm section to support long, fierce leads; then the musicians return to their cruising speed on Unsettled Loss and its intricate drumming, which adds a bit of variety to an effective foundation. The choppy riffs will give the band an interesting liveliness in a live setting, as will the short Within My Grasp, which features furious accelerations, constantly reigniting the energy before Watch as Children Burn takes over to hammer us in turn, allowing the trio to deliver a solid rhythm section punctuated by regular bursts of intensity. There’s a hint of melancholy in the solo, then Dust’s Arrival takes over, offering a rather haunting intro before charging ahead and hitting us full force, even featuring a few more vindictive passages like the brutal final that leads into Let’s Revoke, the final track that clearly lets loose to close out the album with one last dose of musical ferocity.
Nothing new under the sun, Master is clearly one of the last Old School Death Metal bands to have stuck strictly to the same formula, and Among The Seeds Of Death will take its rightful place alongside the band’s classics in no time!
95/100