Something completely
unexpected happened to me when I opened the content of cardboard box with the
Thermit’s long awaited newest offer. Inexplicably my wear changed into the
cowboy one, I got chaparejos and big hat, lasso in my hand and white mustang. I
no longer was wandering through Wielkopolska territory, I saw vast Texas land
with rapid Rio Grande river and Austin pubs inviting me to buy a glass of
whiskey and ice. It was a good idea indeed, swelteringly I took the hat off,
and running with sweat I started to croon a hunter ballad. I felt the spirit of
the country music possessing my senses… Wait,
wait a minute, the spirit of the country music??! Aaargghhhh, no!!! Fucking
no!!!!!
Luckily
that nightmare left me pretty quickly as the first tunes filled the air. Well,
I was waiting for “Saints” aequo animo. You know, I didn’t take part in
Thermit’s facebook informative orgy, didn’t put I like it magical incantation on each thing they threw in. Just
waiting patiently. The premiere date has been planned on the first day of
April, but do not expect any stupid jokes. The band appears as a just serious
hectical machine and nobody could call them greenhorns. But from the beginning:
externals surprises, no plastic included, cd in paper envelope with big poster
to be hanged up in my sitting-room, however my wife is of different opinion. The
whole unleashed in an independent way once again, yet Thermit feels like a duck
in water I guess, bringing me professional product. And sound realization isn’t
an ugly duckling here. What is more, it is simply brilliant! I don’t how they
found this studio (Decybelia, based in Kwilcz), but the result can be described
as stunning. Łukasz Frankowski gives an example how the modern piece of hot
metal should be recorded and engineered. It is vivid, organic, warm, pulsating,
crushing, not genetically modified, perfectly audible, thermiting, ah, is there
a need to add another adjectives? Thus, if I had a band, I’d strike the gates
of Decybelia for sure…
All right,
quality of engineered sounds is one thing, but what about the music itself? Still
having “Encephalopathy” running savagely through my mind, I required something
better, to hear a progress, yet I wasn’t convinced they were able to beat the
predecessor. The opening “Lady Flame” may lead my cowboy instinct into error
due to initial parts of guitars. Simply, as compared to the rest, it seems to
be a kind of lighter and gentle thing of band called thrashy in some way. The
flaming lady gives plenty of heavy metal harmony with perceptible Iron Maiden’s
sigil, changing tempos and really catchy rhythms. Good start, indeed, although
this idyllic mood is impudently disturbed by the three next songs. In a wink I
forget about mercy, thrashing drill licks the senses. But, wait, doesn’t
“Zombie Love” sound familiarly? Of course it does, one of the best killers from
the previous Ep emanates its ravager power, the bass attack from tenth second
makes my muscles shrink, but… I miss the point, why has it been placed here? It
does not take issue with “Encephalopathy” version, contrary to “Mr. Two-Face”
taken from the first demo and re-recorded in a really killing way.
But guys, keep
cool, I’m not going to complain anymore, I swear.
I promised
myself not to anatomize the “Saints” content piece by piece, atom by atom. It’s
my privilege to do it in more personal way, in privacy armed with head-phones.
But verily I say unto you, there are maaaaany splendid moments worthy of
building an altar and praying fervently at. The most important element that determines
the final mark is variety. Not an accidental one, but served in a proper way,
like a small meal that not fights with my peptics. And you should believe me,
these 54 minutes runs really fast. I’ve got an impression that faster than time
itself. So, does it make me younger? Like in Krzysztof Ibisz case? Who knows
that? Yep, a paradox to be resolved by Mr. Hawking I guess. At last I deal with
saints, you know… Phew, anyway, these “Saints” are rooted deeply in thrashing
dimension, though if I have to compare it to “Encephalopathy”, they plaited
more heavy metal dynamic s and impressive melody to the structures this time.
Also, doomish monumental parts aren’t strange here (mighty, sense smashing
“Fairyland”), or even hard rock touch here and there. All played easily, with
no constraint. And when I was thinking over any possible comparisons, Danish
artillery gave me a missile. Yes, Artillery! But, hold on, I do not treat
Thermit as a cheaper equivalent of Stützer duo child. No, but consciously or
not, thermitians follow the path of “By Inheritance” and later twenty-first century
albums. Then, add memorable influences of the authors of “Somewhere in Time” or
the best moments from “Ironbound” and, as the most important, Thermit’s own
visions. Such a mix done in a really admirable method brings just a fresh
music.
As for
vocals lines performed by Trzeszcz, it seems that everybody praises his doings
and I won’t be an exception here. For sure he belongs to best Polish vocalists,
showing big balls all the time, mixing such famous persons like Blitz, Flemming
Rönsdorf and Brian Johnson. I cannot write he tries to copy anyone of them, because
it would be a blatant lie. With no problem he modulates his voice from main
veneniferous timbre to more calm and peaceful or to even brutal forms (“Smoke
& Soot”). His vocal manufacture woks in full swing, tirelessly. But, did
anyone ask about instrumental side of “Saints”? Gosh, nothing but an applause!
In a nutshell, the musicians simply arouses my sincere admiration, their highly
developed skills let them create such fantastic compositions. No time for a
gasp, as the guitarists bomb the field with great riffs, serving bunches of both
complex and more melodic leads in the tracks. There’re whiles for madness,
there’re whiles for temporary serenity as well, with such memorable parts
blazing in “Smoke & Soot”, “The Last Meal of the King” (especially with this
crusher exploding at 3:50), “Louise” or “Mr. Two-Face” (an absolute change of
emotions at 1:42). Rhythm section? Present! I have an impression that bass
guitar performs fifty-four-minute lead, leaving me just speechless. Perfectly
executed and supported by no-idlering drums. And to the best of my knowledge, Błażej
doesn’t listen to metal music at all, hope he gives some spins of “Saints” at
times, and says ‘brawo my’…
In quality
means, “Saints” deliver an equal stuff. That makes impossible to choose the
leader in the squad, even after hundred meetings. I wrote about a small
revolution in the first track, but the terremote comes with the fifth song
called “The Story About Bird & Snake”. The shortest one, but the only
instrumental in the family, being a real Fabian’s show. At first I demurred
placing such a song in the middle, it often causes needless unbalancing, but
finally it worked. I don’t know the concept behind it, but the track became one
of the gloomiest metal pieces I have ever faced with, personally I think it’d be
a proper soundtrack for Kleki-petra death… Impressive, indeed. Then, it goes
into “Fairyland”, over eight-minute beast, with clear doom fascination. Begun
by Fabian devastating tool, the first half is really slow, mysterious, showing completely
new vacant lot in Thermit kingdom, later it gets faster pace, but I wouldn’t
dare to name it Pendolino, rather as a freight train with fifty four fully
laden carriages. Broken bones & tissues guaranteed. “Smoke & Soot” is
made of similar means, it sounds like a seeming calm after “Perfect Plan”
detonation. The truth is the song, even not with overspeed included, turns probably
into the most brutal and ruthless face of the Saints, giving an instrumental banquet
during the second half of it. The band’s style is obvious during the album, yet
I didn’t find any small notice about being… technical in the general genre
insight. I bring it rather bashfully, maybe I need an earpick immediately, but
take a fast listen to torrential “Perfect Plan”. Or “The Last Meal of the King”.
What’s more, such a place-kicker opening twisted part of the title ending song,
what a musical abattoir! Saints offer great end, using some keyboards part and
acoustics, forcing me to push the button play again. Really, it’s easy to fish
up all the broken bass parts, complex riffs in songs I mentioned above, yet it
flows smoothly through the brain cells being just an added value, not an
instrumental bloodless self-abuse.
Mind you,
Saints didn’t blow me away on the spot and I needed many careful spins to view
it fairly. When the time was right, I felt something on my face. Like an… Old
Shatterhand’s fist. Got it? I don’t know exactly why (even after promising Ep),
but I didn’t expect such good music and the final impression has been
strengthen thereby. It’s not a sudden mental blackout, Thermit is one of the
most promising bands that have been established this century. They courageously
use purely classic forms based on well-known bettermost patterns, not being
involved in modern post/sludge/drone/cyber/core/depressive/whatever genres. In
such a way, they proved there is always something to offer if you can, there
are mechanisms that let the musicians convert something once intended to their
own ideas. I repeat: if you can. Thermit can. Their hometown should be proud
of: Turbo, Wolf Spider, Acid Drinkers and now another team joins the trinity. Yep,
concerning their Poznań, and all the football issues attacking us from every
corner now, end of seasons in many countries, the final matches of Champions
League and European League, Euro 2016 in France soon. Well, it’s scarcely
possible not to mention the fact I have to compare Thermit to a team from
Bułgarska street. And you know what? Keeping the “Saints” quality, Lech should
be in semifinal of Champions League at least. Do you feel it? Can you see the
difference? If don’t, give them a chance. Do I
become a Thermit psychofan? No, absolutely no! Just wanna support fine music. And
to put it briefly on the end, with “NAPIERDALAAĆ” credo, the band managed to
deliver fantastic slab where metal, passion, concept and skills to shape the
music itself amalgamate in one breathing harmony. One can say, all these words
are hackneyed phrases used many times while describing records. I know that
perfectly. But who cares, I’d like to ask? Saints burn everything on the way, and
there is nothing but a soot.
… and who
put this such a good asphalt way in Texas?
96/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written in May / June, 2016)
