Ritual Carnage is going to be every Bay Area Thrash fans savior, and they are from Japan. Interesting…hmm, and they have apparently been around for 12 years? Take Death Angel and Vio-Lence’s style of Thrash as well as their vocal tone and delivery. I also hear some Testament, both old and new, in the force behind some of these riffs as they can be rather heavy. Given the voice some might find it uninteresting as it is unvaried in the range department and follows a constant pattern throughout. You will definitely hear the Vio-Lence in the vocals.

Musically, from opening track ‘Perfect Strain’ to the last this is full steam ahead speed assault and battery. Rhythm patterns and changes will keep your head banging with plenty of fret work for all. I thoroughly enjoy Ritual Carnage’s retro approach to their writing style and is not dated sounding at all, just slamming arrangements. Listen to that guitar work on ‘Straight to the Nether Regions’ (soloing galore). Groove, crunch and punch are the driving force to each track.

I really found this a refreshing listen for this old school style to the writing. It is something new for today with the multitudes of Death, Black, and extreme bands out there who bark there lyrics which makes many sound all the same. Ritual Carnage are setting themselves apart from the batch.