BOLT THROWER - Warmaster
1. Intro... Unleashed (Upon Mankind)
2. What Dwells Within
3. The Shreds Of Sanity
4. Profane Creation
5. Destructive Infinity * (CD Bonus)
6. Final Revelation
7. Cenotaph
8. War Master
9. Rebirth Of Humanity
10. Afterlife
Label: Earache Records
Release date: 1991
Artist site: http://members.aol.com/boltmail/
GRADE:
8/10
The ominous intro that summons the beast that is BOLT THROWER's third masterpiece of war, entitled Warmaster, begins one of my favorite moments in death metal history. The riff that permeates "Unleashed (Upon Mankind)" is sick, twisted and just flat out reeks of war and battlelust. BOLT THROWER were always good at coming up with these great riffs, tuned down much lower than most and just going apeshit with it. They could groove, they could grind, they sounded like BOLT THROWER. I can always tell identify them on a stereo, even their latest material. Some would say boring, I say reliable.
"What Dwells Within" has not been dated by the times whatsoever. In fact, this one features the grind/blastbeat for what would be one of the more rare times. What a godly riff and a really nice, chaotic lead run. "The Shreds Of Sanity" plods along at first and then picks up into a mid-tempo beat, similar to AMON AMARTH as of late. "Profane Creation" features a dirgelike riff that bands like SOLITUDE AETURNUS and even BLACK SABBATH are known for. Ultra, ultra heavy, Warmaster brings back many memories. The hours of staring at the CD booklet and its artwork while listening to this new breed of metal, getting lost in the battlefield, so to speak.
Those of us who were fortunate enough to have CD players back in the day got track 5 as a bonus. A decent enough song, but not one of my favorites, so if you are out there, stuck with the cassette, you're not missing a whole hell of a lot! "Final Revelation" rumbles along at a more uptempo pace, bordering on really downtuned thrash. "Cenotaph" fades in with its monstrous war assault and plunges into a sick, slowed riff that snakes its way through the verse before picking back up to a double bass groove-a-thon.
I also really like the divebomb guitar solo in "Rebirth Of Humanity," it stands in sharp contrast to the low frequency riffage of the album. So does the main tempo of the final song, "Afterlife." They maintain a pretty busy speed for the most part, at least by BOLT THROWER standards.
All in all, a pretty damn good release, but unlike most, not my favorite. I'll leave that spot reserved for Realm Of Chaos or Mercenary.
PJ
1. Intro... Unleashed (Upon Mankind)
2. What Dwells Within
3. The Shreds Of Sanity
4. Profane Creation
5. Destructive Infinity * (CD Bonus)
6. Final Revelation
7. Cenotaph
8. War Master
9. Rebirth Of Humanity
10. Afterlife
Label: Earache Records
Release date: 1991
Artist site: http://members.aol.com/boltmail/
GRADE:
8/10
The ominous intro that summons the beast that is BOLT THROWER's third masterpiece of war, entitled Warmaster, begins one of my favorite moments in death metal history. The riff that permeates "Unleashed (Upon Mankind)" is sick, twisted and just flat out reeks of war and battlelust. BOLT THROWER were always good at coming up with these great riffs, tuned down much lower than most and just going apeshit with it. They could groove, they could grind, they sounded like BOLT THROWER. I can always tell identify them on a stereo, even their latest material. Some would say boring, I say reliable.
"What Dwells Within" has not been dated by the times whatsoever. In fact, this one features the grind/blastbeat for what would be one of the more rare times. What a godly riff and a really nice, chaotic lead run. "The Shreds Of Sanity" plods along at first and then picks up into a mid-tempo beat, similar to AMON AMARTH as of late. "Profane Creation" features a dirgelike riff that bands like SOLITUDE AETURNUS and even BLACK SABBATH are known for. Ultra, ultra heavy, Warmaster brings back many memories. The hours of staring at the CD booklet and its artwork while listening to this new breed of metal, getting lost in the battlefield, so to speak.
Those of us who were fortunate enough to have CD players back in the day got track 5 as a bonus. A decent enough song, but not one of my favorites, so if you are out there, stuck with the cassette, you're not missing a whole hell of a lot! "Final Revelation" rumbles along at a more uptempo pace, bordering on really downtuned thrash. "Cenotaph" fades in with its monstrous war assault and plunges into a sick, slowed riff that snakes its way through the verse before picking back up to a double bass groove-a-thon.
I also really like the divebomb guitar solo in "Rebirth Of Humanity," it stands in sharp contrast to the low frequency riffage of the album. So does the main tempo of the final song, "Afterlife." They maintain a pretty busy speed for the most part, at least by BOLT THROWER standards.
All in all, a pretty damn good release, but unlike most, not my favorite. I'll leave that spot reserved for Realm Of Chaos or Mercenary.
PJ
