Alright… Neil here, so I’d asked all of our reviewers to post their Albums Of The Year, but haven’t done my own yet…it’s really hard, as to be honest, and I know it’s cliche, but it depends on the day, my mood or the stars! The quality of releases from the UK this year has ensured my sanity…. right here goes!
5. Solitary – The Truth Behind The Lies – Rich and the lads have dropped the album of their 25 year careers, as a huge Solitary fan, I’m so happy that this album was everything that I’d hoped for, it’s just a proper bit of U.K. thrash and I love it.
4. Virus – Evilution Apocalypse – Despite delays, label issues and all the other bullshit, Virus have come back after a thirty year gap between albums with an old school banger. Can’t wait to get in the pit with some of these songs!
3. Devastator – Baptised In Blasphemy – I have just enjoyed this album so much, I have played it to death, and still play it again. There are a sway of bands doing this vein of blackened speed metal, but Devastator tuck right into the sweet spot, blending the swagger of Motörhead, with the rawness of early Venom and Thrash elements I need from Sodom.
2. Hellfekted – Woe To The Kingdom Of Blood – I don’t throw these comments around lightly, but when a band reminds you ‘emotionally’ of the first time you heard ‘In Battle There Is No Law’ then you know you’re onto a good thing, this is still in a raw state, but the potential is huge.
1. =Onslaught – Generation Antichrist =Shrapnel – Palace For The Insane
I just couldn’t split these two, and I know it’s a massive cop out…
I got into Onslaught in late 1986 through file sharing… someone gave me a cassette! It had Power From Hell on one side and The Force on the other, and I’ve loved the band ever since, not seeing them live until the In Search For Sanity tour, but being a fan of all versions of the band. This did not disappoint, in anyway, at all, the singles, videos, album as a whole… all top drawer, and shows why Onslaught are our most exported of U.K. thrash bands.
Shrapnel, for me have moved into the top tier with this release, the quality of this album shines through, with tracks all providing an insight into the bands capabilities and drive, I can’t wait to see these tracks played live and see them take their place on the top rung of U.K. thrash.
Honourable Mentions are way to many to mention, but we can have a go, here are some other bands whose albums I’ve loved in 2020:
Gama Bomb, Sylosis, Cryptic Shift, Hellripper, Incinery, Sawticide, Thrasherwolf, Reaper & Divine Chaos!
Plus some EPs and singles that have kept us excited for the future:
Elimination, Pest Control, Tortured Demon, Decimator, Militia, Ifreann, Beyond Salvation, Scarred By Truth, Tempashot & Trapped In Purgatory
Now, as I’m the boss I can do two right? So on the International front, I’ve been massively impressed by the strength of the underground than the big league, the following 5 bands are a great selection of brilliant thrash from the rest of the world, we’ve got Denmark, Canada, Germany, Italy and Portugal represented and we hope to catch some of these bands in the UK 8n the future.
1. Demolizer – Thrashmageddon
2. Hazzerd- Delirium
3. Reactory – Collapse To Come
4. Xenos – Filthgrinder
5. Mindtaker – Toxic War
With honourable mentions to Surgical Strike, Skeleton pit, Thrashwall, Amorphia, Havok, Sodom, Butcher, Midnight, Annihilator, Sepultura & Warbringer.
#ukthrashers 