Thrash Metal is pretty much the key to all things Metal as far as I can see it. That isn’t to say that anything prior meant nothing but what I mean is that Thrash really opened the door. We may have seen a slight slope from the likes of Sabbath to Maiden but at the dawn of Thrash there was a new level of extreme and the battle to be the most outlandish ensued thus giving birth to essentially every genre of Extreme Metal that we enjoy today. So next time you feel like defacing the name of Metallica or Megadeth spare a thought for the foundations which such bands helped to forge and lay upon the tracks of Metal.

Upholding the Thrash Metal torch are the Columbian satanic purveyors Lucifera. The band formed in 2008 releasing a magnitude of releases including an EP, demos and even splits, they certainly keep themselves busy. However 2019 is a new chapter and a new passage for Lucifera as they aim to follow up their 2017 full length Preludio Del Mal with a new full length through Dunkelheit Produktionen entitled La Caceria De Brujas, the bands fourth full length effort. Yet can this further sonic wave of Black Thrash terror strike fear into the hearts of the holy once more or will it lay the band to rest and put an end to their destructive poser onslaught?

There is absolutely no time wasted as Lucifera charge into action laying waste to the false with Arde En Llamas an alcohol drenched Black Metal tinged Thrash nightmare that shines with elements of perfection rather than the usual dirty murk that is generally projected by such bands. Sortilegio births frantic riffs in a purist Thrash fashion that swirl into Blackened formations as punishing screeching vocals hover high above like a harpy of vomitus bile. Then from out of nowhere Ceremonia Secular introduces more obvious satanic themes with its ritualistic opening before it pays homage to the early Metal age with catchy melodic hooks that are brought anew as the crisp Blackened vocals erupt like fire and brimstone and give us one of the strongest tracks from the album.

There is one gripe which I have though, can things become a little too polished? La Caceria De Brujas is beautifully produced, every instrument and vocal sits just right, but is that what Metal is all about? I honestly feel like this album should have far more grit. Sure it sounds aggressive, anthemic and overall very extreme but it’s a little lacking in underground purity at points. Perhaps this is a rather laborious point but it is one that I feel is worth pointing out. All the harshness aside Conjuro and Brujeria add further Thrash based invocations to the already powerful arsenal with more catchy hooks and spits of melodic enchantment. Then comes the hypnotic, albeit anti-climactic closing instrumental of Evocación Del Caos another ritual based track that aims to entrance us in its oddly placed mysticism.

To conclude I stand by my statement of over-polishing, there is a great potential here and the songs within aren’t bad by any stretch. In fact quite the opposite they are enjoyable, but they appear to be unbalanced and devoid of serious thought. Of course the ritualistic elements are exciting as are the more melodic passages but these sit few and far between leaving them alone and without any real purpose or further inspiration. La Caceria De Brujas is full to the brim with Black Thrash glory but it goes above and beyond its station evolving into a more mainstream sound for the genre that makes the whole album feel a little isolated.

(7/10 George Caley)

https://www.facebook.com/LuciferaColombia

https://dunkelheitprod.bandcamp.com/album/la-caceria-de-brujas