Welcome to the first ever Thrash Attack! Every Tuesday I’ll be sharing with ya’ll some good ole thrash metal. This is where the party is: where the beer is golden, the pizza is the right level of cheesy, and the pit is heated. There’s so much thrash to enjoy, and it’s my hope I can introduce you to some wicked banger bands. There will be plenty of the in your face political rippers, and plenty of the beer guzzlin’ moshers. To kick things off I want to start with some friends from Berlin: Space Chaser.
Space Chaser are all about partying and sci-fi fun. If the band name alone doesn’t give off those vibes, then the album artwork and song titles surely will. Their latest record as of October 2016, Dead Sun Rising, is a full throttle space epic with moshing intensity. What really sells Space Chaser is the superb blend of epic to humor. There’s plenty of humor to get a chuckle in, but with guitar work that plays like a laser show: the results are exciting and fun. The first track “Metro Massacre” sets the overall theme for the alien/machine apocalypse mosh fest. With a pounding drum intro that accompanies face bleeding shredding, the song flies off with grand energy. Instrumentally there’s a ton here for those who dig bands such as Exodus and Anthrax. Vocally there is a strong Bruce Dickinson like sound, which aids in the epic feel of the music.
“Black Hole Circle Pit” kicks off in a pummeling drive, easing off the gas just lightly to toss in a vibrant rhythm. Tempo shifts bounce back and forth throughout the band, causing a whirlwind of hysteria. “Xenomorph” enters with a sense of atmosphere as the guitar starts and pauses dramatically in eerie tones. The instrumentals take time to settle down and intensify the vocals, but when things pick up the guitar blasts off like a goddamn light show. “Atom Crusher” goes barely 30 seconds before letting off a mini solo that pops like a solar flare. The song carries a terrific crunch to it that rages like a cosmic devastation. The halfway point rips with a relentless drum beat, making way for the blistering guitar section. “Judgement Day” allows some build up in its minimalist beginning, but quickly tosses that aside and rides off into the heavens. This is thanks to the chemistry of different tempo shifts, and moments where each instrument gets a moment to shine. Towards the end the song builds up into a combination of hefty bass that meets ripping drums and guitar, all before settling into ambiance.
Dead Sun Rising makes for a phenomenal intro to Space Chaser. While you’re at it go check out their other record Watch The Skies, and their Decapitron EP. Sincerely I wish these guys the best in everything they do. There are plenty of thrash bands that play to fantasy or sci-fi themes, but when a group does it as perfectly as Space Chaser does, then they deserve absolute praise. Not only do they provide pure fun music, but include impressive technicality in instrumentation. Stream Dead Sun Rising below, and let us know your thoughts on the band in the comments.
Make sure to tune in every Tuesday for the Thrash Attack, where we keep the beer chilled and the whiplash 24/7.
