Description
2019 press on black vinyl with gatefold cover. Limited 250 copies
There was 1950s nostalgia in the 70s, 60s nostalgia in the 80s, and 70s nostalgia in the 90s. So is it any surprise that 80s nostalgia came about in the 21st century? For headbangers, part of that ’80s nostalgia has been the thrash metal revival movement. Plenty of retro-thrash bands came out of different parts of Europe in the 2000s, including Greece’s Suicidal Angels — and if anyone doubts their commitment to 80s worship, he/she need only listen to Sanctify the Darkness. This is a 2009 recording that parties like it’s 1985. The production style isn’t an 80s-like production — Suicidal Angels show their awareness of 2009’s production techniques — but stylistically, lightning-fast tunes such as Beyond The Laws Of Church, Inquisition, The Pestilence Of Saints and Bloodthirsty sound like they could have been written 25 years earlier. Sanctify The Darkness is an unapologetic throwback to a time when Slayer, Kreator, Napalm Death, and Testament were showing us what could happen when metal was combined with the velocity of punk. Lyrically, no one will mistake Suicidal Angels for a Christian metal band; these Greeks spend a lot of time addressing the darker side of Christianity’s history. And if their views on organized religion remind moshers of Slayer during the Hell Awaits/Reign in Blood/South O Heaven period, that is no coincidence; Slayer has influenced Suicidal Angels lyrics as well as their pummeling riffs. Some of the European retro-thrash bands that debuted in the 2000s have favored big doses of irony, especially the bands that identify with the comic tendencies of grindcore. But there is nothing ironic about Sanctify The Darkness; these guys take their ’80s worship seriously. So get this one if you have a soft spot for80s thrash metal.
Track list:
1. Bloodthirsty
2. The Pestilence Of Saints
3. Inquisition
4. Apokathilosis
5. Lies
6. No More Than Illusion
7. Atheist
8. Beyond The Laws Of Church
9. Mourning Of The Cursed
10. Dark Abyss (Your Fate Is Colored Black)
11. Child Molester