Formed from the ashes of Nuclear Genocide, Oslo speed/thrash trio Evoke have been firing off their high octane 80’s inspired metal since 2016’s two demo’s ‘Souls Of The Night’ and ‘Rehellshall’. Now, stepping up once again, their debut full length “Seeds Of Death” is here and ready to run wild. Described as unfaltering and a nod to the speed/thrash/death metal stylings of South America, but with a more dominant Northern European edge, let’s see what grows out of one of the most fertile regions for extreme and uncompromising bands.
From the get go, this is fast and intense. Clocking in at roughly 34 minutes, this 7 track full length just puts its foot down and floors it. Skipping through the gears, revving the engine past what is probably safe to do so, and leaving a trail of smoke in its wake. High octane thrash, speed and death metal all blend together in a wild and chaotic yet highly organised setting. A tight as hell rhythm pins it all together and this provides the framework for some superb shred solos, soaring melodic leads and raw and bestial vocal roarings. In all, it’s a pretty good mix and it is executed in a superb manner.
From the opening bursts of “Deadly Revenge” which will have you making comparisons with Sepultura’s late 80’s/early 90’s releases, you can start to see the release beginning to take shape. The powerful vocal display coupled with the precise timekeeping which delivers breakneck speed riffs and drum blasts is a call back to the fast and furious years of thrash. Wild and infectious in both sound and nature, it is the type of track which would ignite a crowd and cause a frenzied sea of bodies crashing into each other, swirling round in a vortex of flailing limbs, spinning necks and pure energy. The title track, “Seeds Of Death” pushes the pace even further. Like the spike in someone’s heart rate after drinking several cans of monster in a short space of time, the adrenaline pumping flurry of tight riffs is matched by the fantastic bass sound which is rich, heavy and clear enough to cut through the mix cleanly, adding another edge to the sound of the band. With a feel reminiscent of Slayer’s “Hell Awaits” release, it draws influences from the traditional metal approach, packing in soaring melodic sequences over a tightly controlled rhythm and it makes room for some fine headbang friendly riff sections which act as a good contrast to the more wild shred theatrics.
This rawness and unrelenting approach persists until the final seconds of the album. Like Sepultura meeting Motörhead and being infused with some SweDeath ideas, this is a release which focuses on being played loud. “Wrathcurse” is a powerful track which ups the intensity of the release, giving it a darker edge vocally in places and the technical prowess on display in the track as it shifts through precise riffs, iconic sounding hooks and a phenomenal bass solo which all climaxes in a hail of sustained feedback and fuzz make it one of the high points of the release. The other highpoint is the atmospheric and dramatic closing track, “Satanic Rebirth” which initially starts off with some melodic and ominous string instrumental work but then quickly shifts into the more primal metal feel we have been besieged with all release. With the sound of a thunderclap, the band comes in, reworking the previous string melody in their distorted style and the transposition from string to speed metal works like a charm. Loaded with that raw and darkened nature which is courtesy of some of the Scandinavian influences seeping in, it has a real gripping edge to it, keeping you hooked to the last with its onslaught of powerful bass and drum blasts and the shred heavy lead work, closing the release with some style.
In all, this is a cracking album. It’s got the right blend of South American primal feel metal to the more traditional European styles of metal, blending the two approaches to create a fair balance. Loaded full of headbanging riffs, wild solos, superb rhythm work and attitude, it’s a great debut full length and it marks Evoke as someone to keep an eye on over the next few years to see how they grow.
(8/10 Fraggle)
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