Formed 4 years ago, when the members were still teens… Actually they are still teens and playing a style of music made popular 2 decades before their births. and I’m happy to admit, I’m a fan! Their style of thrash is energetic and aggressive, but filled with melodies that draw you in. Guitarists Adrian Tobar and Tobias Lindström have been joined by new bassist Niklas Saari and new drummer Adam Schmidt for their second album.

Opener “Depths a of a New Eternity” commences with a melodious acoustic build up that is joined by a tempo keeping drum as it crescendos into the blisteringly quick “Guerilla Warfare” where Adrian, who also takes care of vocals, starts spitting out rapid lyrics over the rolling riffs before raising the pitch for a yelled chorus which goes into slightly gruffer verses before a couple of leads fight for dominance.

Title track “The Gates Beyond Mortality” is less manic, but still delivered with plenty of power, even when it mellows completely before the lead break, which was laid down in a flurry of drum rolls. I love the way the guitars and drums build off each other on “Funeral Prayers”, before settling down to a rabid intensity that has you gripped as you wait for the chorus to end and lead solos to let rip over the relentlessly beaten drums.

With a feel closer to really early thrash, “Signs of Ancient Sin” isn’t all out speed but is rather relying on heavier vocals to give it the required gravitas and head banging groove.”Desecration of Light” has a lead break wailing over the opening riff before the drums rush off with their mighty thumping kicks and sharp snare along with the rather angry vocals.One of the more complex songs on the album, “The Astral Below” winds through several movements and tempo changes as it progresses, but maintaining its core riff to tie it all together.Dispensing with the finesse, “Immolation” is just a balls to the wall headlong rush from beginning to end, but with a very catchy chorus to go with the ultra-quick lead breaks that are thrown in for good measure.

The final track is easily the longest and I’m not sure if, as the title “The Cursed Trilogy” implies, it’s actually three pieces of music merged into a single song, as it goes from fast paced to a near acoustic staccato then to a series of lead solos over a mid-paced tempo until the end where the original riff returns.

Even though I’ve given the album multiple plays, it has never become tedious and I’m certain that’s owing to the enthusiastic delivery.

(8/10 Marco Gaminara)

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https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/the-gates-beyond-mortality