ALBUM REVIEW: Bat – Axestasy

Here I review the new album from Speed Metallers BAT, entitled AXETASY! Set for release via Hells Headbangers on April 26th.

1. Wild Fever rips right into old school guitar riffs, grooving bass and pummelling drums that immediately throw you back into the 80s with the glorious, upbeat cascade of nostalgic speed brilliance. The vocals sound epic over the grinding attack of the band that is performed with total precision and ferocity. A catchy chorus with melodic yet primal guitars gives an anthemic touch, truly hitting hard. The bass lines are incredibly punky with plenty of drive, complementing the lead guitar solo beautifully. This track encapsulates Speed Metal perfection gorgeously, let’s hope the rest of the album meets how high they set the bar with this one.
2. Long Live The Lewd follows up with killer drum fills that drop into more menacing riff work, a furious howling vocal verse soon puts things into overdrive for full speed assaults in the vein of the masters within the genre. The blasting groove of the instrumentals has some almost blackened touches while keeping true to the sound the band set out to create, punchy and obnoxiously wonderful. The crossover flourishes give the thrashy swagger even more bite and attitude. Excellent!
3. ICE slows things slightly, building the tension of the album. The cavernous drum hits and grisly guitars soon fall into a crawling gallop with a gnarly atmosphere that is perfectly set to the vocals and blistering riffing that follows suit. Everything about this music screams of the true Speed Metal sound, from the musicianship and vocals to the production and artwork, a truly marvellous addition to the retro sound that Hells Headbangers have been consistently releasing. A guitar solo filled with melody adds elevation and some glorious shreds to the song without outstaying its welcome. Another total banger.
4. Ritual Fool opens with chanting and ambience, something I did not expect on this album. The bass and drums bring in more groove that catapults us into howled vocals and more churning guitars, total speed mayhem ensues. The lyrics are both hilarious and also really entertaining as is the hammering instrumental performance. I enjoyed the use of a bass and guitar solo used in tandem, both of which scream attitude, suiting the swagger of this hateful piece. Another track that demands headbanging throughout.
5. Slash Of The Blade gives us a short interval of strange, sci-fi effects. A really original and modern touch to an otherwise old school album that adds a weird but unique tastefulness to the release. While it may seem out of place, it worked surprisingly well with the other music.
6. Axestasy is the ending to this epic little release. Grinding out more punchy riffing and crashing drums, this is clearly going to be one final slice of true Speed Metal glory. While the track is immediately catchy, it is also volatile, with total force hitting in unrelenting waves once more. Total insanity, with some blistering guitar solos and even more nostalgic brilliance is what this last track features with a storming, thrashing stomp consistently firing out aggression, a wicked last piece of morbid speeding excellence.

Despite the short running time of this mini-album, it feels like a complete package and a fantastic one at that. This is true Speed Metal with some crossover elements that just kicks your teeth in with total force. An utterly epic release with so much bite to it. -8.5/10