Deathwards - Towards Death Tape (Invictus Productions)

I've said this mainly times, but I'll say it once again. The Chilean Metal scene is some of the truest and best current underground Metal scenes, despite not being one of the most mentioned ones. Guys there still stand very close to the original ideas of what the extreme side of Metal represented and, since some of their bands such as Communion, Unnausprechlichen Kulten, the mighty Force of Darkness or Wrathprayer got the attention of foreign labels, more bands are finding a way to take their music out of their borders.

It is the case of Deathwards, a young five-piece formed in 2017 who signed with Irish Metal bastion Invictus Productions for the release of their first demo cassette. In their line-up, taking the vocal duties, we can find Mr. Rodrigo V. (aka Hellavenger), who played guitars for the Communion cult on their 'Demo I' and amazing first self-titled EP, as well as Mr. Ricardo Tilleria (aka Extravasation), member of Thrash-mongers Executed.

What these four Metal-warriors offer on their debut tape is a very solid and furious Death-tinged Thrash Metal in the old-school way. Among the influences they summon (and some others I have found quite obvious) are first era Slayer, Sacrifice, Infernal Majesty, early Pestilence and Death, with an extra added technical dose of what other bands such as Sindrome, Sadus or Obliveon (and maybe even Deceased) added to the genre. Pure and unadulterated Metal savagery of the kind it is quite hard to find nowadays despite the whole Thrash Metal trend. 

And, to be honest, the result is pretty damn good. There's a ton of good riffs masterfully crafter by Extravasation and The Usurper, played with both extreme rage and precision, and with a good balance of heaviness and razorsharp melody. Hellavenger's vocals are actually pretty close to the god Van Drunen, with a slightly less raspy edge, especially when it comes to the catchiness. And, last but not at all least important, The Magus and The Penance form the extra-punching bass and drums base that gives such goddamn fondements over which the band can build the bulldozing beast Deathwards is.

No matter if the demo is only five tracks long. Just look and the incredible opening with "In Death I Become" and its possessing lead, the extremely fast and blazing "The Hierarchist", with its Tech-laden bass, "Epitaph from the Underworld" and that punishing mid-tempo breaking the melodic speed frenzy, which later on becomes quite creepy, and the final "Impending Prophecies",  with an incredibly catchy and headbanging rythm that is doubled by the brutal double bass and which later on takes a pretty epic grandiose tone to close it with a last burst of Slayer-esque savagery. Did I say final? No way. Because they close the demo with a cover version of Infernäl Mäjesty's "Overlord", and they fucking nail it (especially Mr. The Penance kicking his kit). A pure thrashing delicacy to put the icing on the cake.

Sound-wise, the recording is definitely accomplished for a first release and taking into consideration this is a demo. It's actually quite fucking professional. It's actually pretty clean for what bands of similar genres tend to choose, but it actually great to discern every details of the many these songs have, without loosing any rawness at all. It's simply above many productions being considered as albums. 

There's very few post-nineties Thrash bands I can think of that possess such a raging intensity, and Hypnosia would obviously come to mind. But Deathwards are on that same path, and despite they still have a long way to go, their debut is pretty damn amazing. Let's hope they make it to a full-length, because I'm quite sure they would leave some ripped jaws, deaf ears and broken cervicals.

www.invictusproductions.net