Alastor - Infernal Lord artwork

Rating: 7.0

Country: Portugal

Release Date: 2004

Track list:
1. Condenacão: Introducão
2. Destruicão Do Paraíso
3. Reino Dos Mortos
4. Invocacão Nocturna
5. Senhor Das Trevas
6. Súcubo
7. Templo De Satanás
8. Violence And Force (Exciter cover)
9. Tempestades Infernais
10. Condenacão Eterna

Total Playing Time: 38:17

Whole Crushing Christendom album available as bonus tracks 11-19.

Alastor - Infernal Lord

Desecrator - Guitar
Tormentor - Bass / vocals

I hope you have a neckbrace for this one. The story of Alastor is one that many mavens are probably familiar with at this point- Decayed member leaves said Portuguese band to form, well, a band that sounds a lot like Decayed, but even BETTER. What this all spells, of course, is thrash metal of the very purest and unadulterated strain, free from the revivalist ‘'retro'' gimmicky nonsense that plagues every band from Inferno to Dream Evil. The modus operandi on Infernal Lord is exactly the same as it was on previous outings by Alastor- uncompromising, utterly devastating thrash of the genuine variety, a cataclysmic bastardization of both Teutonic and classic Bay Area styles that rightfully assumes its place next to Toxic Holocaust, Nocturnal and Suicidal Winds as the heir apparents to the throne vacated by the likes of Exodus, Iron Angel and Artillery.

The fact that such sincere and pulsating thrash still sees the light of day in today's climate brings a tear to this reviewer's eye- in an epoch where reviewers stumble over themselves bestowing superlatives upon the latest arty-farty pseudo-prog phenomenon setting critical and commercial circles alight, where fans appear eager to relegate Exumer, Venom and Razor to being youthful indiscretions, relics of the past that should be forgotten in lieu of more ‘'progressive'' choices, it is always a joy to behold a band that clearly has not forgotten the bonecrushing impact of a Darkness Descends or a Power From Hell. To Alastor, thrash metal is far from a bygone artifact of a primitive age, it is a relevant and timeless sound that single-handedly encapsulates the nude aggression, raw energy and bestiality that made all of us fall in love with heavy fucking metal in the first place.

To be earnest, not too much progress has been made from the previous record, Hellward, though in truth none should really be anticipated in the first place, Alastor being a frighteningly focused outfit with scant regard for entertaining modern palates. The most immediate reference points would be Teutonic thrash, the inclination towards hordes like Darkness, Poison and ESPECIALLY Destruction forming the crux of Alastor's stunningly catchy, yet never linear sound. There's also an early Dark Angel (read: We Have Arrived slightly more than Darkness Descends) feel to the record, as it radiates a suitably loose feel chock full of impetuous riff/tempo changes. Tormentor's vocals, interestingly, bear more than a passing resemblance to Mille Petrozza's, occasionally hitting dramatic Don Doty type highs and Schmier shrieks for dramatic effect.

Songs are uniformly BRILLIANT here, the entire record being a relentlessly sadistic slab of frenzied mayhem that doesn't gasp for breath ONCE throughout. While I could sit here and play spot-the-riff, that would take the fun out of Infernal Lord entirely- this is an INTENSE listen that will exhaust you each and every listen. If you are indeed one of those jaded arty types who has banished 'Terrible Certainty and I.N.R.I. to some dark recess of your room, I absolutely GUARANTEE you that this will resurrect the hair flailing maniac that perished with the rise of Opeth. There is nary a duff riff here to speak of, and even when embarking on longer excursions (the 5 and a half minute minute “Tempestades Infernais”), Alastor remarkably maintain a breakneck momentum throughout, laudably managing to insert enough riff changes to provide for an utterly thrilling listen. Fuck, listening to this record is EXCITING, when was the last time you could say that about a goddamn metal record? You sit there awaiting the next killer riff that you know is impending, dusting off the air guitar in anticipation of the screeching solo that is about to burst through the mix.

I just have on minor gripe about the production, which, while dirty and hellacious, sometimes buries the low-end, favouring a more trebly approach. I would like to have heard the bass a little clearer in parts, and at times the cymbals sound somewhat indistinct, drowned by the omnipresent guitar sound.

Once again, Alastor have provided another exemplary lesson in unpretentious, sweltering, unfashionable thrash, proof positive that headbanging heavy metal still exists in the hearts and minds of underground spirits worldwide, free from the stoic self-importance of much modern music. While some might suggest that such music is purely regressive and redundant, such insinuations are not worthy of discussion, considering the fact that Infernal Lord is a good deal more impassioned and energetic than virtually every record that has graced magazine pages recently (and isn't that what metal is about, to begin with?). This is a record for people who are unashamed of the fact that they still listen to Black Metal, Obsessed By Cruelty, Bloody Vengeance, Sexual Carnage, Bonded By Blood. If you have uttered “Oh, I used to be really into thrash when I was 15” recently, I'm sure Alastor have no interest in securing your business and attention, anyway. Proof positive that thrash was, is, will always be.

PS: As if you needed more incentive to buy this…Barbarian Wrath have tacked on the entirety of their now SOLD OUT debut, Crushing Christendom as a bonus. BUY NOW!

June 12th, 2005