IN MALICE'S WAKE “The Thrashening” /CD/

First official release of the debut full-length album by Australian Thrash Metal band.
It's been a long three years since Melbourne based Thrash act released their promising debut E.P. effort "Blackened Skies", but after some unforseen delays and frustrating setbacks (the trials and tribulations of the band's recording sessions are well documented in the booklet's liner notes), In Malice's Wake have finally returned with their highly anticipated full-length debut "Eternal Nightfall".
The album starts with an “Intro” and smoothly sails into the second song “Pay the Price” with the same tune and riffage creating the required anticipatory juices in the listener’s minds! The music is simple Technical Thrash Metal with cheesy solos here and there backed by excellent screaming vocals by Shaun Farrugia. The title track “Eternal Nightfall” is your quintessential Thrash anthem just pounding in your face, with those slight Punkish drum work. “Bitter Demise” continuous in similar sharp riffs, slightly groovy, but enough variety to keep you interested. With “To Run with the Darkness…” the sound seems to get chaotic during the vocals part, but with sharp riffs the music sounds as sweet as mere words can’t describe. The solos are really screaming out to get your attention, largely thanks to the guitarists’ innovativeness and it simply works right away, as most importantly they are not overdone. “Man-Made Death” brings in some signature riffs only In Malice's Wake could have brought in and packs so much just under 4 minutes, makes the listener’s time really worth it. “Weakness in Numbers” combines a bit old school Traditional Heavy Metal with raw Thrash Metal that so many bands have tried and failed, but these boys get it right. Just when you think that the album is unidirectional in its high tempo aggressive Thrash, “Where Silence Hides (Instrumental)” pops in with its mid-tempo, rather slow instrumental. The original album ended with an excellent epic Thrash anthem in “Mental Disarray”.
Official re-release features "Blackened Skies" EP 2005 as a bonus, which is actually pretty cool, as we get to listen to 2 records in 1 pack!! This section of the record, i.e. the EP part seems to have more chaotic song structure compared to the original album part, but still packs enough meet to keep the fire going. “To Run with the Darkness” is another brutal Thrash anthem, as the band still manages have enough variety and flavor to get your attention. “As Dusk Covers Day” and “Weakness in Numbers” sound more like Part 1 and Part 2 of the same song as they have similar riffs with extensive song writing, but all good in books at the end of the day.
All in all, this re-release is a must pick up for new In Malice's Wake fans as it will expose them to one of the best modern Thrash Metal acts that Australia has put in recent years. This is simply Thrash beauty at its beast!!
Punishment 18 Records, 2008/2015 (P18R 098). Made in Italy.


Tracklist:
1. Intro 0:25
2. Pay The Price 5:19 
3. Eternal Nightfall 3:48 
4. Bitter Demise 3:24 
5. To Run With The Darkness... 4:12 
6. Man-Made Death 4:00 
7. The Path Less Travelled 4:44 
8. As Dusk Covers Day... 5:49 
9. Weakness In Numbers 4:34 
10. Where Silence Hides 4:53
11. Mental Disarray 4:27
Blackened Skies:
12. To Run With The Darkness 4:44 
13. Blackened Skies 4:50 
14. As Dusk Covers Day... 5:35 
15. Weakness In Numbers 4:35
Total playing time: 65:20

The third full-length album by Australian Thrash Metal band.
Speed, anger and aggression seem to be the watchwords for Melbourne Thrashers In Malice’s Wake. The third full length offering from the Aussie four-piece continues in their vein of turbo-charged Thrash Metal.
“Light Upon the Wicked” is full of incredibly high speed riffs, and heavy breaks, all set behind guttural vocals which aren’t quite sung, but not quite shouted… There are more melodic sections, which appear from time to time; but don’t expect them to come with any slowing down of the pace. From the moment instrumental intro “Onward Human Suffering” kicks off, these guys are at full pace- grabbing the listener by the throat and not letting go.
Guitar solos are brief and fast-paced with no real space for extended technical flourishes but here that doesn’t seem to be a problem, as extended sections would detract from the pace. 
If you want a well-written, incredibly tight, high-speed aural assault full of anger to blow out your speakers with, In Malice’s Wake have produced one of the best Underground Thrash Metal albums for a while. The intensity of the pace and the energy mixed with their occasional melodic sensibility suggest that it’s only a matter of time before these guys smash their way out of Australia and start making waves elsewhere as well!
Punishment 18 Records, 2015 (P18R 103). Made in Italy. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Onward Human Suffering 
2. Bear The Cross 
3. In Darkness 
4. Light Upon The Wicked 
5. From Beyond 
6. Hear The Howls 
7. Annihilation Frost 
8. A Sign Of The Times 
9. Indoctrinator 
10. The Halls Of The Damned
Total playing time: 42:07