So a couple days ago at Warm Up Fest I got Heart Attack's new record Stop Pretending, a testament to the enduring power of thrash metal. An album that fuses a variety of influences to get something that is uniquely powerful and often just magic. This collection of ten songs represents an albums worth of modern thrash madness with an interesting jumble of sounds that come out to create something that touches the soul. Powerful, poignant, and often strangely beautiful Stop Pretending is, to say the least, a very strong debut from one of France's fastest rising metal acts.
One of the first things that will strike you about this record (partially because it's right there on the first track) is how this band can descend into a sort of controlled chaos. Their is a manic thrash metal energy behind everything. Even though Heart Attack often exercise progressive, hardcore, or groove metal influences the spirit of the thing tends to remain in the thrash metal spirit. This means that the record can branch out in a variety of directions yet still clearly remain a part of a whole. That is where the greatness of Stop Pretending lies. Not only does it feature great songwriting and tracks that come in all shapes and sizes, but they are coherent, leaving the listener feeling whole afterwards.
To finish it up, Stop Pretending is a powerful debut that shows a band rife with potential. The kind of group who explode out of the gate and then beat you into submission, in other words, a band who get everything that makes thrash metal great. If you want an album that does a bit more than your typical thrash release, then this is the record for you. Heart Attack have a clear artistic direction, yet make it clear that they can still do whatever they want, and this is what makes them so darned good. So, thrashers all around, Heart Attack provides the sound, come and get your fill, brains and blood will spill!
Find them on Facebook!
No comments:
Post a Comment