Rewind to the mid-2000s. The thrash metal revival is in full swing. Everywhere you look, groups of twenty-something-year-olds raised on Metallica are forming bands, keen to replicate the vicious sound and chaotic live energy that dominated heavy metal in the nineteen-eighties. A sub-genre riddled with cliches, many amateurs fell into the trap of exploiting thrash metal's stereotypes a little too much, swiftly being dismissed as 'rip-offs' and 'posers' by diehard fans. Nevertheless, a handful of bands sprinkled a few tasty hops into thrash metal's formulaic brewing process, carving out unique sounds and enduring fan bases along the way.
Amongst these was Evile from Huddersfield. These four talented lads spearheaded the UK movement with their debut record, Enter The Grave, earning themselves support slots for thrash metal icons Machine Head and Megadethas a result. Eager to capitalize on their early success, the quartet quickly set to work on their follow-up record, Infected Nations; an expansive modern thrash masterpiece that saw Evile pushed to their technical limits by renowned producer Russ Russell. Evile continued to release material over the proceeding four years, triumphing over tragedy along the way. However, the departure of lead guitarist, Ol Drake, shortly after the release of their fourth album seemed to kill all momentum in the Evile camp, and the subsequent departure of his brother, Matt Drake, felt like the final nail in the coffin.
But fear not! Evile has returned - eight years and a couple of lineup changes later, mind! Ol Drake is back, taking on vocal and lead guitar duties. He's joined by Adam Smith (RipTide) on rhythm guitar, Ben Carter on drums, and Joel Graham on bass, to deliver Evile's long-awaited comeback record: Hell Unleashed.
 |
| Evile: Reincarnated in Hell! |
So, how does this rejig affect Evile sonically? To begin with, the rotation of Ol Drake onto vocals marks a shift away from Evile's classic thrash sound towards more of a death-thrash fusion. While Ol is keen to preserve Matt's distinctive vocal style - a key characteristic of Evile's sound - he has a much gruffer take on it, giving the hellish lyrics an added bite. Combined with his mountainous, Chuck Schuldiner-inspired guitar leads, Ol storms Evile into more aggressive territory on this record, reminiscent of early Sepultura. Meanwhile, the addition of 20-year-old Adam Smith on rhythm guitar reignites the adolescent flame that spawned Evile's very existence with his endless arsenal of energetic riffs. The production on this record is killer too, highlighting Ben Carter's deadly cymbal work and Joel's trademark bass breaks.
One thing long time Evile fans might miss on Hell Unleashed, however, is the hooks that made previous tracks like 'Thrasher', 'Time No More', and 'Cult' so catchy. The lack of earworm refrains and abundance of transitions - though technically fantastic - means the nine tracks on Hell Unleashed do have a tendency to bleed together. There are moments on this record where Evile begins to tap into some emotional depth - the bridge that proceeds the first solo on The Thing (1982) is a good example - but sadly they're cut short before they can truly flourish. Allowing these moments to breathe a little more would have benefitted this album, but when you're aiming for a more aggressive composition, it's easy to see why Evile wasn't keen to wallow in the feels for too long!
Nitpicking aside, Hell Unleashed is a stellar comeback record that demonstrates Evile's insatiable hunger to expand their sound. The revamped lineup is tighter and more ferocious than ever, signaling a promising new chapter in their turbulent career. Welcome back Evile - the UK thrash scene has certainly missed you!
For Fans of Death, Sepultura, Slayer
Comments
Post a Comment