EVIL / SIEGE COLUMN - Split EP

Release date August 15/19 (Nuclear War Now!)

Here we have another split EP for consideration, initiated by Japan's blasphemous Evil. This being our third run-in with these black/thrash extremists (refer previous review below), we knew going in what to expect and the band do not disappoint. Providing three tracks over seven minutes, they open and close with hard edged, raw black thrash ditties driven further underground by some excellent grunt vocals. If you like your thrash done up wild and raw a la early Sodom, Evil is the band for you. A short, doom-paced instrumental is inserted between these two tracks to accentuate just how insane and intense the two fast-paced tracks really are. Hail! [8]

Fellow label mates Siege Column complete the package with two tracks also over seven minutes. Similar to Evil, the band have one full length and several demos under their belts, however, the New Jersey-based unit instead delve in the death/thrash metal idiom. Matching Evil in the intensity sweepstakes at times, albeit in a tad more controlled manner, Siege Column add mid-tempo sections for variation. Make no mistake though, this is also some wild-ass stuff, the dive-bomb guitar soloing and barked/guttural vocals ensuring that underground denizens will embrace this. Gotta say that the production is comparatively a little inferior though, muting some of its power. Still a good blasphemous listen though. [7]