When I’ve decided to change my playlist for a moment and was looking for some good thrash metal from the UK, I’d encounter quite a few bands no longer existing. Shame, but I guess that’s life.
Anyway, I’ve got in touch with Dom Hardy, a former drummer for Scottish thrashers Aggressus and he was helpful in securing me a digital copy of their only demo from 2008, titled “Cleansing of the Mind”.
Lads have put it out almost 12 years to the date, on February 18th, 2008 and without any more intro, let’s delve into it.
3 songs, 12:53 total. And boy, what good 12:53 they are. From the very beginning of the opener “Lambs to the Slaughter” you can tell guys were diligent student of old school thrash metal. You can hear the influences of major players, from Metallica, through Slayer, Kreator or Sodom. And do I like to hear that! The song has everything it has to have. Great angry vokill, diabolical speed riffing, fantastic solo. I’m sold.
Track #2 and it’s “Arrogance of God”. I’d say it’s even better than the first one, not only because it’s 29 second longer (if you need to know that), but it’s little more straightforward, delivering the punch exactly as it has to be, and the Dave Ralston’s vokill sounds like he was pissed off with the whole world and a few galaxies on top of it. Fuck yeah, that’s exactly what I’ve craved.
The last song is Slayer worship pure and simple, “Requiem for a Dying World” could be put on the “South of Heaven” and it would be a worthy addition there (apart from vocals, as Dave’s vocals are, of course, different). I know, I know, people talk about copycats and such…who gives a shit! For me, it’s 6:25 of pure thrash delight.
Summed up – for me, there is never enough thrash metal. Luckily, my interest in various genres prevents me from being fed up with one genre or another, so I can appreciate bands and their material for what they deliver.
Yeah, they sounds like bands we’ve all heard before…but that’s what I want to hear. I don’t want to see thrash metal with folk inserts, or with industrial beats. I want thrash for beers bottles, baseball caps on the long-haired heads and denim vests full of patches and badges. That’s my thrash metal and Aggressus captured that energy to a Y.
It’s a shame they haven’t continued with the band, but as we will see, some of guys went to different bands – and sure as hell I want to hear what they’ve cooked in a different kitchen.
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