Onslaught
Title: VI Label: AFM Records
British trash Legends Onslaught return with a vengeance, 'VI' is the eagerly anticipated follow up to the neck breaking 'Sounds of Violence', it needed to be something extraordinarily special to draw parallel to their previous release. Well you know what the verdict is, a resounding “Hell Yes”!!! 'VI' is bruising, aggressive, brutal and takes no prisoners.
It’s an exceptional album and possibly one of the best thrash albums I have ever heard!! Bear in mind I have been a Metalhead for well over thirty years, that’s a huge statement, well yes it is. 'VI' is going to take the Metal world by the throat and give it a damn good shaking!
Frontman Sy Keeler is truly inspirational, his vocals are vicious, demonic and absorbing as always but even more so on this album (if that’s at all possible)! Really not bad for a man a half century old! Guitar duelists Rockett/Rosser-Davies are on blistering form and Michael Hourihan on drums makes his album debut and is simply phenomenal, vicious, energetic and spellbinding.
The album opens with 'A New World Order', a light Middle Eastern intro, then all Valhalla explodes as 'Chaos is King' rampages and assaults your senses.
Sy Keeler spits nails from Satan’s coffin, drums are destroyed and the Chaos explodes into the room! This is a mosh-pit frenzy of sweating hell for ever metal! 'Fuel for My Fire' opens in a melodious fashion then ignites, into a song that is incredibly catchy, with a head-bashingly addictive chorus. It's intense and a song I would love to see performed live.
'Children of The Sound' see these pioneers experiment and they pull it off with full battle honours. A song about the conflicts in the Middle East, it's intelligent, heavy and meaningful. Keeler’s vocals are as always savage, hostile and uncompromising. I really like the way they use the female chanting, it adds something special and different to Onslaughts sound. While being a bit softer, it’s still heavy and praise should be heaped on the band for their bravery in offering something a bit different.
'Slaughterise' is a battering ram of a song, it's really heavy and annihilates your senses, releasing a salvo of steel encrusted delirium. "Killing is my aim in life“ is the chorus often repeated through the song, inter-mixed with scintillating guitar solos and powerhouse drumming. Heads will continue to be banged and body’s slammed as '66 Fucking 6' is delivered with menace, it is a thrashing metal Behemoth.
Talking of monsters, 'Cruci-Fiction' is the illegitimate child of Slayer, Exodus and Testament thrown into a melting pot of insane solos and killer lyrics. 'Dead Man Walking' like the previous track doesn’t let up, I love the lyrics and it’s superb, vile and revengeful. I simply Love it! Final track 'Enemy of my Enemy' gallops at you like a vindictive, maniac bull on amphetamines, the aim is to destroy, this is the mighty “Onslaught“ and this is a killer track to leave you begging for more. The drums explode and it is simply ferocious, an excellent track to finish of a jaw-droppingly, phenomenal album! Life just doesn’t get much better than this thrash monster... make sure you get this scorching album, catch the band live on tour and get in the pit!!!
Review by: Seb Di Gatto
Tracklisting:
1. A New World Order
2. Chaos Is King
3. Fuel For My Fire
4. Children Of The Sand
5. Slaughterize
6. 66 Fucking 6
7. Cricu-Fiction
8. Dead Man Walking
9. Enemy Of My Enemy