Suicidal Angels Years Of Aggression Review
Suicidal Angels
Years Of Aggression
Noise Art Records
2019
I get it. 2019 saw some of the biggest bands in thrash put out some solid albums:
Death Angel - Humanicide
Wraith - Absolute Power
Flotsam and Jetsam - The End of Chaos
Exumer - Hostile Defiance
Toxic Holocaust - Primal Future: 2019
Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion
Sacred Reich - Awakening
And the list could go on. What I don't understand, however, is how Suicidal Angels' YEARS OF AGGRESSION is completely left out of the conversation. No one talks about it. Quite frankly, I never really hear their name brought up in any conversation. I thought they had a solid fan base, but maybe they're more underground than I thought. These Greek monsters absolutely lay every other thrash album of 2019 to waste with their technical thrash that paints pictures in blood with their precision, speed and heaviness that is reminiscent of Slayer, Death Angel, Sodom and even modern bands like Havok and Hatchet.
As soon as the opening riffs of "Endless War" are unleashed, you know exactly what you're in for. You're thrown onto the battlefield with an assault rifle, trudging through blood and gunfire. And really, those are primarily the subject matters of the album - war and death. Something that's been done ad nauseum, but there's just something here that makes it more engaging and interesting. The title track features some of the best overall performances like an insane guitar solo that makes you feel like there's shrapnel flying around you and Nick's deep, furious vocals that makes you feel intense hate. "From All the One" and "Order of Death" are as heavy and brutal as the rest, but start to wind the album down, but there is no lack of ferocity; however, if you get to the point you feel you need a moment of solace, album closer "The Sacred Dance with Chaos" provides you with a little reprieve with a Middle Eastern-sounding guitar intro and a slower, meddling tempo that is still as heavy as anything that came before it. It also features a classical guitar part about halfway through the track before crashing right back on top of you.
This is one of my VERY rare 10/10 albums. Not just thrash, but in general. Their album DIVISION OF BLOOD is just as relentless and fantastic, but I always lean more towards this one. It's just a shame that the band tends to get overshadowed and don't receive the recognition they deserve. DO IT VERSUS ANYONE!
~TJ