Angelus Apatrida – Angelus Apatrida
Release Date: 5th February 2021
Label: Century Media Records
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Genre: Thrash, Metal.
FFO: Testament, Exodus, Pantera.
Review By: Kenny Newall
Spanish AA-list thrashers, Angelus Apatrida return with their self titled 7th son, a signal that a band may be starting afresh. But fans need not fear as stylistically this is what you’d expect in their evolution, but it’s sound that’s new. The production, courtesy of Zeuss, is a step up, but it’s the step down to D-standard tuning that makes all the difference. Like the first person to realise their jacket lacked patches, their smashed potatoes yearned for milk* and their genitals would benefit from being introduced to someone else, AA must be thinking, ‘Why didn’t we do this before?’ as this is their best sounding album yet, but it’s the song-writing that counts. Get that wrong and you’ve got a Gary Glitter denim, sour mash* and syphilis (Ah, what a Xmas that was).
So? Well, yeah. Their best album? Debatable. But it’s up there and it’s certainly what they’re aiming for. Originally writing for an EP, they wrote enough to record an album. When I read that in a press release I invariably end up wishing they’d stuck to an EP, but not here as this is a consistent collection of damn good songs, with a couple of rather fucking excellent songs.
In terms of what it sounds like, if opener Indoctrinate (video below) was a wine of La Mancha (AA‘s home) it would have a Pantera body, definitely a Testament bouquet* and I’m getting a hint of Agnostic Front in the chorus. And this continues throughout the album. Unfortunately, the soloing is a bit dry in a granny kind of way, but the drumming absolutely thumped my skins. The other obvious influence is NWOBHM (AA started out as a heavy metal band before they released their debut) and when it shines through it has them at their best, or at least my favourite 2 tracks: Childhood’s End is the first track to blatantly showcase a band that have heard some Angel Witch and know what Neat Records stood for back in the day, but We Stand Alone stands out as the track of the album, showcasing the perfect AA blend of all that makes them worth your time. And I’ll argue anyone sideways that almost any song, especially hymns, can benefit from the inclusion of a ‘huh/hooah’ shout – you know what I mean – but here we have a ‘beh’ and I’ll buy them a drink if I ever meet them for that alone. It’ll absolutely make it on to my Music To Windmill By / Music To Solid By playlists when the full release hits Spotify. Along with You Are Next, Serpents On Parade, First World Of Terror* and Hidden Evolution from my previous somewhat limited exposure. Though I’m having a hell of a time back-cataloguing. Feel free to comment on what my playlists are missing.
The lyrics have been inspired by the Covid pandemic (and the political situation in Spain from a human rights viewpoint), but this is no lockdown filler album. Though I would say the album is all filler as it leaves you rubbing your belly, pleasantly satisfied. At least, it did me, but I’m middle aged now and rubbing my own belly goes a long way.
To round out the review, this is not just consistently good, but also consistently thrasher. No light/dark dynamics at play here, but there is easily enough tempo change and melody/rhythm mix to keep it interesting. My review process was fuck me this is moshing on my grave, in a good way (though is there a bad way)? first listen, hmm, maybe the soup’s a bit salty, drunk second listen* to my sink’s old fashioned, but it functions and I like it third listen. So, in terms of enjoyment, this is a 4.5 album, but critically, like their t-shirts, their riffs wear their influences just that little bit too obviously and the aforementioned lack of some decent lead in their pencils brings it down to a 3.5. But unlike some other review albums, this is one I’ll definitely revisit just for the sheer pleasure of it.
*Fuck you Oxford comma!
(3.5 / 5)
