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[ More Music Reviews ]

Terrifiant: Terrifiant

Heavy/Speed Metal

4.0/5.0

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Gates Of Hell Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 19.02.2020 | Released: 21.02.2020

The history of Belgium's Terrifiant is a short, ambitious, and tawdry one. In 2019, two mischievous metal dudes, ZZ Slop (g) and Lord TerrifianT (v), meet at a festival, compare beverage and weed choices, and then go on to form a sleazy, NWoBHM-inspired, speed metal band with three additional miscreants. They also have creatively degenerate stage names: Slime Valdi (g), Alcoloic (d), and the perfectly disgusting, Sniffany Bags (b). Terrifiant quickly delivered a two song demo from the gutters of Brussels, which caught the interest of Gates Of Hell Records. Now the band releases their self-titled debut album, which includes the demos, five new songs, and a Pat Benatar cover.

Terrifiant

Now that previous paragraph gave everything away. Perhaps everything you need to know about this album. After an epic guitar inspired instrumental opening, the album leaps into nitro-fueled speed metal and, essentially, never slows down. Riffs rage and roar, guitar solos blister and thrill, and the rhythm section pummels your brain into mashed spaghetti. Speedline is likely the song that defines both Terrifiant's raison d'etre and their sound. If there is any moment of pause, or slowness, it comes in the center of the demo tune, Metal And More (reworked from the original). Surprisingly, in the guitar lines and rhythm section, Terrifiant keeps heavy metal melody and harmony alive. Vocally, Lord Terrifiant is simply a classic metal singer, but focusing more on his range and atmospheric screaming than your understanding of anything he says. As for the Pat Benatar cover, Heartbreaker, it pretty much gets a heavy metal treatment, perhaps it bit faster when the guitars solo. All said, for classic heavy speed metal, Terrifiant is the real deal. Prepare to bang your head, pump your fist, and do windmills if you still have your flowing heavy metal tresses. Recommended.

Psychotic Waltz: The God-Shaped Void

Progressive Metal

5.0/5.0

Perhaps more well-known in the European theater, San Diego based Psychotic Waltz had a prolific musical career between 1986 and 1997. Between 1990 and 1996 ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

All said, for classic heavy speed metal, Terrifiant is the real deal. Prepare to bang your head, pump your fist, and do windmills if you still have your flowing heavy metal tresses. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]