Witchhaven: Terrorstorm

Now here's a recording to get excited about! Terrorstorm has been in circulation outside the United States on cassette and vinyl, but is only now coming out in a digital format so that everyone can enjoy its classic thrash sound. I can only assume that copies of the cassette have been traded about old-school style for a while. I think that's appropriate. Witchaven, after all, takes listeners back to a time when heavy metal was largely circulated on cassette. More importantly, most of the excitement about thrash had to do with discover the ways hardcore punk offered heavy metal new sounds, attitudes, and styles. As I listened to Terrorstorm, I remembered what it was like to hear thrash for the first time. These guys aren't quite as innovative musically as Testament, Exodus, or Slayer, but they bring all the speed, power, and aggression one expects. Listen to the title track or "Black Thrash Assault" for great examples of what Witchaven does with classic thrash.

My main complaint about Terrorstorm is that it pauses too long to present clips from media stories. "Absolute Profit," for example, began with a 30 second statement about the terrible conditions of workers in the world. "Conflagration," likewise, concluded with a statement about the deleterious effects of meth on families. "A. D. D." also concludes with snippets of media reports on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011. I was initially interested in the general point; I mean, we would all do well to reflect on the awful conditions of the world, including considering the various ways the media reports on them. I prefer it, however, when songs effectively convey a message without lecturing. I am reminded of the way Metal Church would carry out a broad critique of cultural or social conditions in the world through insightful and intelligible lyrics, not sound clips. Listeners are smart--if there's a message to be had, they'll figure it out.

Track Listing:
1. A. D. D.
2. Terrorstorm
3. Black Thrash Assault
4. Absolute Profit
5. No End in Sight
6. Conflagration
7. Ardent Lust
8. Dawn of the Unholy
9. Empty Chasm
10. Unholy Copulation

Added: January 8th 2012
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band MySpace Page
Hits: 1900
Language: english

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