Reactory - Killed By Thrash (Slaney) 20131. War Never Changes (4:25)
2. Raising the Dead (3:31)
3. Total Destruction (5:00)
4. Predators of Metal (4:25)
5. Open the Bottle (2:59)
6. Killed by Thrash (4:37)
Reactory are a heavy metal band from Berlin. With songs titles like "Total Destruction" and "Predators of Metal" and their debut EP titled "Killed by Thrash", do they leave any doubt as to what they are all about? Reactory are 100% Teutonic thrash metal, through and through. It's all about the quick downbeats, frantic speed, testosterone fueled aggression, and riffs that are built around manic chugging on the E-string. The production values are also raw and biting, with guitars out front and center, along with the blackened vocals of Hanz Hazzard. Fellow German thashers Sodom, Tankard and especially Destruction had to be high on this band's list of influences. Though they aren't really doing anything new, that really isn't the point either. It's all about thrash metal!
The EP opens with the manic "War Never Changes", a song with a definite Slayer bend. With the follow-up track "Raising the Dead"the band doesn't ease up on the gas pedal. "Total Destruction" slows things down momentarily with a brief intro before bursting into another pummeling thrash riff. The next three tracks are all of the same caliber of thrash-for-thrash-sake with the last track being a thrash metal anthem. The song ends with a chant of "Killed by thrash, killed by thrash..." which I can only assume is to entice the audience at live performances to shout along. The problem with the speed and thrash-for-thrash-sake ethic is that the songs can start to sound too much alike and the album can become a bit tiresome to listen to. Reactory might have been in danger of that if this album had been a bit longer. However, since "Killed by Thrash" is only six songs clocking in at less than thirty minutes long, I didn't get bored with it and found myself wanting to hear it again and thus quickly became familiar with the songs.
"Killed by Thrash" is a rambunctious speed fest and another fine inclusion in the ever growing retro-thash movement.