Chuck Schuldiner Project

Monday, November 6, 2017

Affliktor - S/T



Blackened thrash metal has always been an interesting genre to me because it unites two subcultures which are nowadays fairly disparate into something dissonant and powerful with a sense of fun that is gut wrenching and a demented glory that reminds us time and time again why w got so deeply involved in this music in the first place. Affliktor is the sort of technical blackened thrash assault that seeks to fill the void left by Vektor's prolonged absence, but does it in their own incredibly fascinating way.

While the Vektor comparison is facile I think it's important to realize that there's a whole hell of a lot more that makes Affliktor special. This is a band who have a certain sublime poetry to their execution. The songwriting here is excellent with riffs upon riffs stacked up to create the same sort of face melting united front that I think drew so many of us to bands like Dark Angel when we were kids. Sure there are lots of moments of Testament or Kreator worship on this record, but that's a huge part of why I love it. It's a record that knows where it comes from and then bursts down the door kicking and screaming.

I think it's hard not to lose yourself in the chaos of what Affliktor has conjured up here. This is an album that touches on a lot of powerful themes and thematically has the potency and subtlety of a ten ton hammer. There is a certain sublime poetry to the riffs here though that is simply undeniable. The general approach to songwriting on Affliktor is intricate and excellently approached. It's hard to pull yourself away from what the band has been able to conjure up here but it reminds us time and time again why thrash metal reigns supreme.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Affliktor/

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