Assassin - Bestia Immundis (2020)

×

Assassin - Bestia Immundis (2020)

Close

The German Thrash Metal scene was born in the 80’s…everyone knows that. But what many don’t know is that SODOM, KREATOR and DESTRUCTION only came to be recognized as Thrash Metal bands after the third releases, when evolution make their music more melodic and technical, and the levels of brutality went a bit lower. In this aspect, Düsseldorf’s Thrasher ASSASSIN could form with the three above a Big Four of German Thrash Metal. And besides the hardships of life make the band spent 17 years without any release, since 2009 the band is releasing albums, and working hard in the scene (even with the problems on its line-up). And they’re back with “Bestia Immundis”, their latest album.

On this release, the band rescued a lot of its elements from their glory days on the 80’s (especially the melodies that were usual on “The Upcoming Terror” and “Interstellar Experience” and those catching harmonic structures), so the modern outfit used on “Combat Cathedral” was cast out. But don’t have wrong ideas: their music sounds alive and full of energy, but they’re into a classical Thrash Metal approach of their own music, mixed with Hardcore and Punk Rock Influences. And once more, a change on the line-up before the recordings of the album: Michael Hoffmann left the band once more, an in his place, is Frank “Blackfire” Gosdzik, and the other members are the same. So let’s say that this change can’t be pointed as the responsible feature for such difference between the albums, but “Bestia Immundis” can be said as their finest album since “The Club”.

Marc Görtz worked on the mixing and Olman Viper on the mastering, as they did on “Combat Cathedral”, but now, as this album is in a classic format, the sound is not as greasy, being a bit more dry and defined, but still brutal and aggressive as the band needs. And the instrumental tunes were chosen wisely, in a way that makes the album sounds aggressive, but comprehensible for the listeners. The songs of “Bestia Immundis” are catchy in a way that wasn’t heard on their music since a long time ago, but they sound incredibly spontaneous. The entire album is amazing, but the brutal and nasty “The Swamp Thing” (amazing guitar riffs, including during the abrasive chorus, and the solos shows that Frank and Scholli completes each other), the fast tempos of “Hoch Much Can I Take?” (Ingo’s singing improved a lot, and the guitar solos are amazing), the fine thrashing technique shown on “Not Like You!”, the moshpiting massacre imposed by the band on “The Wall” (excellent work from Joachim and Björn on the rhythmic session), the Thrash/Crossover insight used on “Hell’s Work Done”, the amazing weight and speed of “Shark Attack”, and both parts of “Chemtrails” (Part 1 is an instrumental song, and part 2 is a Thrashing Metal onslaught that shows clear Hardcore influences). And by the way, the lyrics are great as well.

Of course some are still looking to the past, trying to live there in a strange Peter Pan complex, but ASSASSIN shows with “Bestia Immundis” that they can live in the present and look with open eyes to the future, but with the courage that brought them.

Musicianship: 10
Songwriting: 10
Memorability: 9
Production: 9

~ metal-temple.com

×

Assassin - Bestia Immundis (2020)

Close

×

Assassin - Bestia Immundis (2020)

Close