War! Speed and Power

With an album titled as such, the first thing that comes to mind is power metal. Though that isn’t completely off kilter, it really isn’t the right genre to group this Japanese metal group into. A variety of black metal fits the group much more justly. The sounds these guys produce can, hardly fit perfectly in with other black metal or thrash bands.

The vocals are much like the extremely face paced black metal bands or songs such as Mayhem produced. The rasping vocals really give an eerie feeling and help to drive the music home. The music it self shows definite roots deeper into thrash than into black metal. Only some instances in a couple of songs show sources of black metal-like influence. There are definitely some heavy thrash-like basslines as well as a few face-ripping guitar riffs and solos. Majority of the songs have almost nonstop drumming with addictive, pulsating beats which back the bass and guitar grinds. However some songs give the slower melodic side a try, almost a Celtic Frost-like groove, but the better respect goes to the crunchy, quick and sick songs.

Each song on this album shows that the members knew what they meant entitling this album War! Speed and Power. The excellent interlock of the lyrics, crunching sound, and the overall experience of this album a sensation you won’t forget. If you’re liking the music, tracks you’ll most likely return to are Teenage Slut, with its distorting madness, and Prophecy of the Evening Star, because of the great guitar shreds.