EP REVIEW: Bloody Vengeance – Stuka Deathstrike

Bloody Vengeance from Germany take their name from one of my all-time favourite records. Their prior releases are superb and their live shows are lethal. Now they return with a new EP which Nuclear War Now Productions will unleash on the 30th of April. Combining black, death and thrash metal; especially of the South American vein; this is a band for underground maniacs.

Storming into life with a blitzkrieg of hammering drums and maniacal guitars, Bloody Vengeance make their presence known and they will not be taking prisoners. The militant, Brazilian-style metal fills the air with the musk of warfare noise and bestial devastation. The clear-cut riffing is brutal and the snappy drum sound ensures all rhythmic artillery is felt at high calibre. From ballistic guitars to heavy shelling from the percussion, this is truly exceptional and intense material that has one of the best mixes for the band to date; allowing you to truly feel the bombastic vitriol at full capacity. The clarity of the drumming and bass is absolutely pulverising and hugely boosts the elite sound of this killer band. These first two tracks will certainly maul you without mercy.

I think the unexpected moment for many will be the third track “White Clouds”. After the Teutonic steel of “Stuka Deathstrike” and “Messerschmitt Massacre” which are both unfaltering storms of death, there is something that is very different about this third track. The musicianship is strong, the idea and concept are cool, but it has a more cinematic feel to it. I am not sure it’s quite up there with the others for me, but it’s an interesting new angle for the band and definitely still keeps the wartime spirit of the record at its heart and the drumming on this is wicked! Now let’s get onto the finale. “Raging Death” could not be more appropriately named. Ending in a hammer blow of total visceral carnage, this song is a perfectly explosive final bout for the Bloody Vengeance crew and a real highlight from the band. From marauding grooves to all-out mayhem, this EP has plenty to offer in its short running time and is a defiant statement to continue the legacy of Bloody Vengeance as we eagerly await the next album. Though this is no mere teaser, a fierce and worthy release in its own right.

Only four songs in little over twenty minutes and yet so much ferocity, force and violence is packed into this short release. The three more extreme pieces are a perfect example of Bloody Vengeance’s top-shelf ability to concoct fearsome metal savagery and the more unusual “White Clouds” speaks to their dexterity. Personally for me this song held the EP back a little bit in terms of momentum, especially due to its length, but otherwise this is a brilliant release. The other three songs, however, are absolutely ruthless. Hearing more from Bloody Vengeance is always something I welcome and the excellence of their 2014 and 2023 albums is still audibly strong. “Ruído de Guerra” especially is a pinnacle of this sound in recent times for me. Anyways, back to the new EP, it is certainly a worthwhile assault of militant metallic warfare. Apparently this is to bridge the gap until their next full length, something I am very excited for, and I am glad to have this shorter campaign to keep the battle going until its arrival.