REVIEW: Warbringer

Artist: Warbringer

Album: Waking Into Nightmares

Release Date: May 19, 2009

Genre(s): Thrash, neo-thrash

THRASH!!! The year is 2009, and it's a very, very good year to be a thrasher. All your favorite thrash bands from the past are back to kick ass (this year, we're seeing new albums from Kreator, Slayer, and Megadeth), but that's not the reason you should be glad to be a thrasher right now. It's because, for once, there's a new wave of talented young rippers who are taking pride in playing music the way Satan wanted them to. There are countless neo-thrash bands on the scene today, and let's face it, not all of them are worth your time, but there are a bunch who have serious chops. Hands down, the most notable American neo-thrash band is Warbringer.

What makes Warbringer so special? A lot of things. Warbringer plays thrash, straight-up the way we remember it, the way we love it, with amazing proficiency and sincerity. Warbringer loves thrash, and if you love thrash, you'll love Warbringer, because thrash is their calling. Or maybe you love Warbringer because of their live dominance. If you frequent metal shows, I'm sure you've caught at least one of their performances (these guys tour CONSTANTLY), and I bet you had a killer time, too. These guys energize their songs and pump their crowd, adding up to some awesome freakin' pits. I know the reason I love Warbringer is because they're the most fan-friendly band I've ever met. If you go to one of their concerts, they'll be out in the lobby, hanging with fans; not merely polite greetings either, these dudes will have full conversations with fans. They're cool, funny, friendly, and all-around awesome people. It should be a crime to not love Warbinger; there's not a bad thing I can say about them.

As for their new album, Waking Into Nightmares owns, like holy crap, it's thrash to the core. I'm sure I don't have to bother explaining what thrash sounds like, so let me assure you guys, this is something you'll want to own if you're down with the thrash sound. The riffs sound amazing, the speed is wondrous to behold; it all sounds heavy and beautiful (by beautiful, I mean thrashy and violent!). New drummer Nic Ritter reaches a much greater height than his predecessor, busting out some fast and technical stuff that sounds just awesome. The bass adds a thick layer of infrasonic punishment (I've tried playing some of these songs on bass---they sound good!). And of course, the vocals are the greatest thing I can mention. John Kevill has an impetuous scream that sounds vehement beyond comparison. He shrieks out every song with as much force as he can muster, and really gives each song an extra push that makes them exceptional.

Warbringer knows all the right ingredients to make music sound good, and at no point does any of the music seem contrived. War Without End (2008) was a sick album, but Waking Into Nightmares takes things to a whole new level. Warbringer is a god among current metal bands, and this is a modern thrash-terpiece. Any thrashers out there who don't own this album yet are gonna take some punches in the pit!!!

Track to Check: "Senseless Life"

Rating: 9.0/10

-Psychotic Pulse

Review Grading Scale

I do things on a 1-10 scale because I feel like it's the best way to express the quality of an album accurately. The scale has range, yet is still easily understandable. However, for the sake of clarity, I will give a brief summary of my scoring system, as people's understanding of the 1-10 system may vary. Here's how I recommend albums:

9-10: Oh man, you MUST check out this cd.

7-8: Should LISTEN to this album, it's good.

4-6: You MIGHT want to listen based on your preferences.

1-3: Do NOT listen to this album.

Now, here's a detailed summary of what you can expect from each score.

10/10 - One of the best albums I've ever heard. Required listening for metalheads.

9/10 - This album is amazing, and a standout release this year. It's hard to get this score;albums that do are usually something special.

8/10 - Certainly very good, and you will probably not be disappointed what you hear if the album gets an 8.

7/10 - It's a good album, but not a great one. If an album gets a 7, glance at the review. If the album sounds interesting, you will enjoy it for sure, but it may not be for everyone.

6/10 - Above average. A recommendation on an album earning a 6 would be iffy. Diehard fans of the band should still get it. There may be something holding it back from being a good album.

5/10 - Average: not bad, not good. Albums like this can be uninteresting, contain a lot of filler, or are just not noteworthy. They may still be enjoyable, but don't expect a lot from an album that gets a 5.

4/10 - Below average. Here is an album that has flaws, something worth complaining about. If an album gets a 4, be cautious before listening; chances are, you won't be too impressed.

3/10 - A bad album. At this point, I don't think you should listen to the album at all. A cd that receives a 3 just isn't good.

2/10 - Terrible, just awful. There's no reason anyone should ever listen to any release that gets this score. Avoid at all costs.

1/10 - Hahahaha. Any album that "earns" a 1 is just laughably bad.

So there you have it. Hope this helps anyone who is confused about the graing system for my reviews.

Welcome to the Psychotic Pulse!

This is a short intro post briefly detailing my blog's mission. It's a constantly updated post dedicated to bringing you the latest metal news and reviews from a diehard expert on the genre. We'll be bringing you album reviews weekly, the tour dates for sick shows, and the biggest news about what's going on in the metal industry today. Opinion columns or metal-related subjects may occasionally feature, as well.

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To metal!!!

-Psychotic Pulse