As soon as opening track ‘Final Act of Aggression’ kicked in, I was taken back to the heady days of the eighties when thrash metal was new and bands such as Slayer, Metallica, Exodus and Hirax were all pushing boundaries, trying to be heavier and faster than their peers. Fast forward a few years, and thrash has lived through challenges from death and black metal as well as grunge, but it is still with us alive and very much kicking.

Of course, thrash has evolved over this time and modern thrash is virtually unrecognisable from the roots of the eighties, but there is still a place for “old school” thrash. The phrase may be overused and even clichéd, but in the case of Thrasherwolf, it is entirely appropriate and accurate. The London four piece deliver no nonsense, old school thrash with abrasive vocals, searing solos and rampaging rhythms, with a crisp, crystal clear sound from the outset. Building on the foundation laid during the debut ‘We Are Revolution’, the sophomore album refines their sound a little more, and pushes everything a little further. ‘Final Act of Aggression’ is a no frills blast of thrash, straight from the eighties and sets the tone for the rest of the album. This is followed by one of the album’s highlights, a chugging ‘G.B.H. (Gratuitous Bodily Harm)’ reminiscent of early Testament, while the pulsating ‘Hanging House’ brought to mind Sacred Reich.

‘Scream til Death’ builds into an epic guitar solo before, the tempo changes as the song drops into a bass break/mini solo before the track builds back up again with a plateau which will be perfect for live sing alongs. Later on, there is a change of pace with ‘Haunted’, a powerful “thrash ballad”, which is a little different and really allows the band to put their own stamp on things as the dark, brooding melodies build.

The album is eventually brought to a close with the title track, which is perhaps the most adventurous on the album. Clocking in at well over seven minutes this takes its time to build and has enough space to allow the style to ebb and flow, one minute raging thrash and the next an ambient instrumental passage, which builds back into a full on thrash classic.

On ‘Inside The Sickened Mind’, Thrasherwolf have delivered a slab of solid old school thrash, but have also managed to put enough of their own spin on things that it also sounds contemporary, while avoiding the trappings of “modern” thrash. I’m glad I stepped away from my usual diet of black metal to explore this one, and I hope I get the chance to catch them live before too long.

(8/10 Andy Pountney)

https://www.facebook.com/thrasherwolftheband

https://thrasherwolf.bandcamp.com/album/inside-the-sickened-mind