Super Metal World

Let's recap metal in the month of October! From Toxic Holocaust and Gatecreeper to Robb Flynn of Machine Head and Chris Adler of Lamb of God!

Gatecreeper vocalist, Chase Mason, joins us to discuss the bands recent release, Deserted, along with the recent and explosive growth of the band.

DragonForce just released "Extreme Power Metal!" We've always had soft spot for the band, but what will a pop fan think of this power metal mayhem?

Phantom Witch’s newest release, Death as We Know It, is an inspired call to the classic thrash of the mid-1980s. Join us as we listen to four tracks from the album!

Co-host Ty has done an album review, check it out below!

Phantom Witch Resurrect 1986 with “Death As We Know It”

Posted: September 2, 2019 | 0 comments

Phantom Witch’s mission statement boldly states, “We were sent to this time from 1986 to bring thrash to the future.” The band’s new release Death As We Know It dropped on the 16th of June. Does this album live up to the thrash metal released in 1986?

A quick refresher on the state of metal in 1986 as it is easily one of the greatest album release years in metal history: Slayer’s Reign in Blood, Megadeth’s Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? and Metallica’s Master of Puppets. You’ve heard of those, right? These albums created a new gold standard for the thrash subgenre and heavy metal at large.

Needless to say, Phantom Witch had a great deal to live up to before I’d heard a single note. A caveat I would add is that every modern thrash band that releases an album is judged against the aforementioned classics. I am not trying to be unnecessarily harsh. Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica essentially murdered thrash for nearly two decades because the albums they released in the ’80s and early ’90s were so fucking good that no one could hope to top them, not even themselves. Of course, this resulted in the all three bands changing their artistic direction in new and controversial ways in the ’90s and early ’00s.

But I digress, one could write a thesis on the topic. My point is that life is tough as a modern thrash band as they are critiqued harshly against standards that are impossible to achieve. However, as metalcore slowly met its demise (it’s really dead people), I noticed something. Thrash metal was starting to make a quiet resurgence. With the help of the nationally recognized Power Trip, thrash was becoming “cool” again.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Thrash never died Ty, you piece of shit.” You’re right, it never did but it has never been as close to matching the raw energy of 1986 as it has in the past couple of years. Yes, I know Machine Head’s The Blackening and Unto the Locust exist as well as a plethora of Mastodon albums. Those albums take inspiration from early thrash metal but there’s so many other influences thrown in that the potency gets a bit diluted.

Phantom Witch pulls off the modern version of 1986 thrash with Death As We Know It. It’s a focused, pummeling trip down memory lane from start to finish with modern production, professional riffage and catchy lead work. After one listen, you’ll be dying to play it again. The complexity of the songs reward repeat listens as well. It would fit right alongside albums released during the late ’80s with nothing to hang its head about. Is this album as good as Master of Puppets? No. I’m not saying that. I view this album on par with Flotsam and Jetsam’s Doomsday for the Deceiver in terms of quality. It isn’t flawless, but represents a hopeful start for the band. If I were to critique anything it would be the album length. When it comes to thrash albums, I stand firm on the 8-10 song rule. This helps cut filler and comes across more palatable for the listener. That being said, all the songs on this album are strong in their own way so I can see how making a cut would be an unenviable task.

Small critique aside, this album receives a strong recommendation from this reviewer, especially if you’re a fan of thrash metal. It teleports you right back into the late ’80s, denim and all, while adding a few surprises along the way. This isn’t just a victory lap or rehash of the ’80s thr

Black metal influenced independent band, Wraith, just released a brand new album! We have, for your listening pleasure, four stellar tracks from Absolute Power.

Super Metal World has featured Wraith few times now, and for good reason! They are an excellent band with a really unique sound that continues to grow and evolve as they release new material!

Check out our review of Absolute Power below!

Wraith Flex Their High Speed Prowess On “Absolute Power”

Posted: August 16, 2019 | 0 comments

Last year’s Heed The Warning was a breathtaking romp through Wraith’s brand of black metal meets thrash meets punk. Clocking in under 20 minutes, it was one of my favorite releases of 2018 that left me craving more Wraith. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long. The boys are back with a new sense of confidence, attitude and aggression on Absolute Power. Sonically, this album is better than its predecessor and creatively it serves as a natural progression for the band’s sound.

How did the band grow you may ask? The songs on this effort are nuanced with added depth giving each track its own unique identity. Heed The Warning is a helluva ride but I did think there were some leads missing that could’ve elevated certain tracks to the next level and some of the songwriting was a bit repetitive track to track. My carryover worries were quickly abated after listening to Absolute Power in full. There are plenty of blazing leads, stanky basslines and gnarly drum fills to go around. Tracks like “Meaningless Planet” with its hellacious main riff and “Absolute Power” with its pummeling slow chugs demonstrate Wraith is not a one trick pony.

We all love a Ferrari that speeds down the blacktop but we are also impressed by its ability to shift gears with ease…

Wraith have set their career on a nice trajectory here. This album represents a solid progression from Heed The Warning. I do not envy the guys in trying to follow up Absolute Power but they’ve proven they are more than up to task. You know how basketball greats like Michael Jordan would add new moves to their repertoire in the offseason to make themselves that much more formidable? I look forward to what new moves Wraith will be adding next. In the meantime, enjoy Absolute Power. This album is a blast! A strong recommendation from this reviewer.

Stand Out Tracks: “Meaningless Planet”, “War of Aggression”, “Eyes of the Sacred Ram”

Rating: 4.5/5

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We’d like to give special thanks to Wraith for allowing us to listen to their tracks! Be sure to check them out and support them!

Horns high,Michael & Ty

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