Once you attain a certain level of prestige in your particular corner of the underground, there are plenty of instances where it can be quite difficult to hold onto whether it be through the competition that surrounds you or the stars not quite aligning right for your act in some form or another. Talent is not something that burns consistent in its brightness for a long period of time as there are many factors that go into its strength which every band should be more than intimate with. As such, when a long-established band manages to still impress even years down the line, they tend to stand out for all the right reasons. Having become a beacon of exceptional strength in the world of thrash, Warbringer’s strength has yet to wane.

It’s not terribly often that we come across a scenario that just feels like destiny that has long been assured for some otherworldly reason, but such instances are not something to be ignored as they are consistently a sight that demands attention in the underground in the rare instances that they do come around. Thrash can arguably be going through a bit of a lull with it not always so that’s an interesting effort in the sound to talk about, but Warbringer always changes that fact whenever they come out with a new record with that fact very much so making for another spectacle of intensity and harsh reflection upon the world as we know it. Front to back, “Wrath and Ruin” more than lives up to its title. An unrelenting belter of an album, this truly feels like the natural evolution of Warbringer’s particular brand of thrash metal while very much so still sounding like a curated work of rage and contempt upon society that Warbringer has become truly known for. Rarely is there a moment where we see “Wrath and Ruin” pull back and offer any sort of actual brevity for the listener, yet they tend to be for effect when you feel like you’ve grasped some semblance of freedom, Warbringer pulls you back into its suffocating realm where riff-powered fury is all the awaits the poor souls caught within the grip of Warbringer.

Very much so a record that deals with the themes that this band has pulled off for years now, “Wrath and Ruin” may not be the massive step forward some may want from the likes of Warbringer, but you cannot argue with results like this. Where thrash metal can feel lacking to some, Warbringer has been the consistent ray of intensity that the genre has long needed with their splendor only continuing within this album that is no less than bombastic in its approach, concepts, and executions.

“Wrath and Ruin” releases on March 14th via Napalm Records!

LISTEN to singles from “Wrath and Ruin” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Warbringer on Facebook here.