Blood Red Angel - The Language of Hate (Gutter Records) 2000
1. The Language of Hate (4:00)
2. Jacob's Ladder (3:39)
3. Hangman (3:49)
4. Frontline (3:30)
5. Psycho World (2:56)
6. Dark Temptation (3:57)
7. Revenge (2:39)
8. Nighttime Skies (2:40)
9. Virus (3:11)
10. Parasite (4:18)
11. Between the Lines (4:50)
12. The Opposite (3:41)
"The Language of Hate" is the debut release from modern thrash metal band Blood Red Angel. Inside the album sleeve, the bands thanks Grip Inc, Overkill, Kreator, Death, Sodom and Slayer for their musical inspiration, and that is a pretty good indicator of the style here. Thrash metal! Unlike many newer thrash bands who go for a retro-80's sound, Blood Red Angel are more modern sounding, sitting more in the Grip Inc./Machine Head camp than the Exodus/Slayer style that many newer thrash bands have lashed onto. As well the vocals hold some similarities to Grip Inc. as well. The band pretty much focusing on unrelenting speed, speed and more speed. However, that is not to say that they don't know how to slow things down here and there. "Hangman", for instance" is a mid-paced song that retains the crushing heaviness. The song sporting a melodic, Iron Maiden-influenced dual guitar solo that breaks into a shredding guitar solo. "Nighttime Skies" is another mid-paced metal number that has one of those scream-along choruses. "Night-time skiiiiiiieeeeeeeeesssss...." The best thrashers, such as Overkill, Kreator and Slayer, have always had that mixture of adrenaline pumping speed, air-guitar inducing riffs and fist-pumping, anthemic songwriting. This is a quality that "Nighttime Skies" possesses. Unfortunately I think the majority of the CDs lacks this quality and is instead focused on crushing heaviness and thrash. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I tend to like a bit more melody and hooks in my thrash metal.
Blood Red
Angel - The State of Insanity (Gutter Rec.) 2001
1. "Intro" (1:02)
2. "Disturb the Celebration" (3:45)
3. "The Violins of the Damned" (3:27)
4. "Insanity Divine" (4:09)
5. "Cold Flesh" (3:42)
6. "Release" (3:46)
7. "The Antagonist" (3:04)
8. "Dark Illusions" (3:31)
9. "Blood Stained" (3:00)
10. "Invocation" (5:49)
11. "A Crime Story" (3:47)
Well, I guess there is a perk to having a web page like this--free cds. This disc was sent to me all the way from Germany by the band's label. So does this mean I will sell-out and write reviews to please record companies? Heck no, but I will not refuse free cds either if they want to give them to me. Blood Red Angel are another band attempting to resurrect thrash metal. Their sound is a throwback to Slayer and Dark Angel. Now to some this may be a bad thing as reviewers tend to want the next big thing. I, on the other hand, could care less about the next big thing. Blood Red Angel are stinking heavy and aggressive. In 2001 Germany's Gutter has released several thrash metal platters including Demolition and Ultimatum. From what I understand this is a sub label of Massacre that is attempting to resurrect thrash metal, a genre that is again growing in popularity in Germany. Now this is a trend I could admire.