HARLOTT “Origin” /CD/

Official re-release of the debut full-length album by the Australian Thrash Metal band.
Australian Thrashers Harlott putting a modern twist on staying true to the classic sound of Testament and Kreator and, in classic Slayer fashion, have managed to fire off an album containing a wide array of tracks that all sound different, yet keep coherence as an album.
"Origin" is a collection of new songs mixed with re-recordings of old demos. In other words, a valuable registry yielded from years and years on the Underground road – and that’s where the best stuff was made! As Dee Snider once said: "writing angry songs after you are successful, and have a house and a sports car in the driveway, is hard…". Musically, especially on the torpedoes "Heretic" and "Effortless Struggle", this band sounds like they have an angrier Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza singing over a relentless Thrash of Kreator brutality. The drums are so fast and precise that they sound like they were played by a robot… but there is a drummer called Dan, and he looks like a human… just listen to "Infernal Massacre" and you will see!
Opener "Origin" has an exceedingly powerful intro with windmill-inducing riff work that switches up between chaotic thrashings, and deadly, Iced Earth-esque passages, with equally-powerful screams. "Ballistic" is a much shorter track that manages to cram in many more musical ideas than the predecessor; at only just over 2 minutes long, it presents us with what feels (literally) the fastest drumming and guitar work on the record. To complement the expert musicianship, vicious guitar solos are spewed forth. "Export Life" deserves particular attention; not just because of the tight, intellectual (in Thrash Metal?!) songwriting and the thoughtful attention paid to chord and melody progressions, but the uncharacteristically elegant guitar solo. It begins, flies through and ends with an incredibly powerful Euro-Metal sound, which one would find in almost all Gothernberg Melodic Death bands. The final track, "Not Long for this World" stood out as absolute favorite, alternating between aggression-fuelled riffs and more organized, groove-ridden passages with many catchy, melodic fills. Andy demonstrates his best vocal ability here, able to balance a powerful, Heavy Metal approach, with raucous Thrash vocals, and deeper timbres that shift deliciously close to Death Metal.
"Origin" is a modern Thrash masterpiece which will most definitely slither its way into regular listening; right up there with Invocator and Toxic Holocaust. This is a solid effort that shows that all the years on the road paid off. This band has nowhere else to go but up!!!
Punishment 18 Records, 2013/2014 (P18R 074). Made in Italy.


Tracklist:
1. Origin 3:49
2. Effortless Struggle 3:17
3. Ballistic 2:06
4. Heretic 2:32
5. Export Life 4:42
6. Hierophobia 4:30
7. Kill 3:10
8. Infernal Massacre 2:42
9. Regression 4:22
10. Virus 2:58
11. Ultra Violence 1:31
12. Not Long For This World 4:10
Total playing time: 39:49


Samples: http://harlottmetal.bandcamp.com