My recent delvings into the realm of metal have been bountiful in the simplest of terms, but one style that I realized I don’t check out enough is thrash metal, and I was feeling some blackened thrash specifically so that’s what I sought out tonight. Upon my searches, I learned that the legendary Toby Knapp made a new band under the moniker of Affliktor that played the very style I was looking for. Such a name cannot go ignored and I simply had to investigate the upcoming debut record, and what I found was no less than something that should be the standard for all blackened thrash to follow.

Simply sporting the artwork of the legendary Mark Riddick is enough to peak my interest, but when the band in question is comprised only of Toby Knapp and promises elite blackened thrash that few others can deliver is on a completely different level entirely. I had high expectations for this record without even hearing a single thing from it, and my reward was more than I could’ve possibly asked for as Affliktor is precisely what I was looking for as it is everything that a band of the style can and should be as well as being no less than a fucking monstrous trip from beginning to end. The entirety of this eponymous debut consists of blasphemous riffs and gloriously evil rhythms brought together by sinister incantations, and it all fucking works by not only relying on Knapp’s previous experience in creating extreme metal since the 90s but also breathing fresh life into blackened thrash so Affliktor doesn’t sound like another run-of-the-mill speedy Satan record that we get so wearily often. All nine tracks invoke demons and spirits of their own, yes – but so few records of this style bring together so much from several years and experience from other bands the likes of which Affliktor brings to the table, and it’s all that brought together into a single entity that allows this album to have an insidious pulse of its own that’s all but tantalizing from the first beat.

I can see many people thinking that Knapp was getting towards the end when it came to thinking creatively and moving forward after doing so much for the metal scene as a whole, but they should be pleasantly surprised to see the result of Knapp summoning the beast that is Affliktor. This initial effort is satisfying to no end, and I can say with absolute confidence that its hands down the best blackened thrash record put out this year so far, and it definitely has the potential to take the seat for the best when the end of the year rolls around. But until then, grab your scythes and black hoods, and prepare for hellfire to rain and burn all who oppose the might that is Affliktor!

“Affliktor” releases on October 20th via Transcending Obscurity Records!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Affliktor” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Affliktor on Facebook here.