80's styled thrash metal is alive and well on the latest release from The Autumn Offering titled Fear Will Cast No Shadow. This band has been honing their skills over the last few years with plenty of touring and a handful of CD releases, and all the hard work really shows on this latest metal collection. Much like 3 Inches of Blood, The Autumn Offering mix old school thrash with modern death & black metal, combining intricate guitar riffs, blazing solos, precision rhythms, and both clean melodic vocals and growls. Tunes like the memorable "The Castaway Download", complete with catchy vocal melodies and ripping sweep picked guitar solos, and the melodic & atmospheric "Silene and Goodbye" stick with you long after the CD has ended. For out and out thrashy death metal, you can't go wrong with barn burners like "From Atrophy to Obsession", "All That Falls Around Us", "Great Distance", "Your Time is Mine", and the pulverizing "The Wolves At Your Door". The guitar work of Tommy Church and Matt Johnson is rock solid throughout, as these two aces churn out boatloads of tasty harmonies, crushing riffs, and scorching leads, just like the twin guitar acts like Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus, and Testament did so well back in the heyday of thrash. Drummer Allan Royal delivers plenty of technical fills throughout the CD (check out his insane work on "Dystopiate") and his battery mate, bassist Sean Robbins, also delivers the goods despite being a little low in the mix. The key to this band (well, along with the killer guitar work) though is the varied and effective vocal attack from Matt McChesney. The guy can flat out sing, whether he is delivering a radio friendly melodic chorus, a Hetfield inspired shout, or a brutal death metal outburst. His wide range of styles adds a lot of depth to this very enjoyable and kick ass set of songs.
Victory Records has a slew of acts on their roster that they can push-for my money, along with Between the Buried and Me, The Autumn Offering seem to have the most potential among the metal groups for wider acceptance. Very good stuff here-check it out of you want to hear what a mixing of old & new school should sound like.
Track Listing
1. From Atrophy To Obsession
2. The Castaway Download
3. Crown Yourself King
4. Silence And Goodbye
5. All That Falls Around Us
6. Great Distance
7. Your Time Is Mine
8. Fear Will Cast No Shadow
9. March Of The Clones
10. The Wolves At Your Door
11. Dystopiate
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