Artist: Tombstalker
Album: Black Crusades
Genre: Black Thrash
Year: 2015
Origin: U.S.A
Label: Shadow Kingdom Records
Berserker Fest III at the Masonic Temple in Detroit Michigan is where I first witnessed the power of Tombstalker. As they played the raw third stage along side the likes of Detroit’s Isenblåst and Perversion, I was left wondering how did this crazy band get billed on this show. I figured with their unique blend of black thrash with tinges of death metal that they had to be from Europe as their sound is a descendant of the bloodline of Swedish and U.K. masters. Needless to say I was surprised to find out they were from Kentucky. Tombstalker‘s Black Crusade is a beastly monster that originates directly from the Bluegrass State.
The sound that is captured on Tombstalker‘s Black Crusades is comparable to what you may expect if you were to add the rawness of early evil thrash like Sepultura‘s Morbid Visions and Slayer‘s Show No Mercy to the entrancing atmosphere of the blackened death metal of Necrophobic‘s The Nocturnal Silence. There also is a slight resemblance to some Scandinavian crust at times in the vein of Anti-Cimex. This album is a monster that does not only feast upon your soul, but it makes you enjoy it. Black Crusades is a whirlwind of plague that is sent to weave your fate. There is nothing that can stop the power that Tombstalker has unleashed.
Black Crusades is a quality album that all thrashers should check out. Scratch that, all metal heads should make a note to have in their collection. This is a solid entry into the ever expanding world of black thrash albums. Let the plague consume you as the chaos is enthroned and lies undivided. I cannot wait to see the future of this band, I can tell they have a long career ahead of them with many great releases. Lets look forward to the next one while we listen to Black Crusades.