Holycide – “Fist To Face” – Review

Tracklist:

1. Intrump 01:32
2. Fist to Face 03:26
3. Empty Cyber Life 04:32
4. Vultures 03:53
5. Nuclear Fallout 03:24
6. Trapped by the Crappy Trap 04:00
7. Mentality Packs 03:58
8. The Aftermath (Recipients of Death) 03:33
9. Napalm Sweet Napalm 04:56
10. Innocent Hate 03:18
11. Fake Libertarian 03:49

Label: Xtreem Music

Hailing from Madrid, Spain, Holycide returns from their first LP, 2017’s “Annihilate …Then Ask!” with their new – bound to turn some heads – offering “Fist To Face”.

Right off the bat, you see that this is a politically motivated album. The first song, “Intrump”, is a 90 second collection of some of Mr. Trump’s statements since assuming the presidency. Some of which were made about people migrating from Central America to the U.S..

Luckily the political clouds filling our brains get blasted out with the pummeling riffs from the title track. From there on, you are treated to a plethora of high intensity, driving thrash riffage. I’ve always argued that the hardest metal genre to differentiate yourself in is thrash metal. Holycide have found one of the key ingredients to standing out: intensity. Tracks like “Nuclear Fallout” and “The Aftermath (Recipients of Death)” shows you exactly what Holycide are capable of in the intensity department giving you a stiff neck and a desire for more.

The other thing Holycide provides you with is competency. The vocals are reminiscent of Obituary, and death metal vocals over high intensity thrash are pure gold. The guitar solos are the epics you expect on a quality thrash release. The drums and bass do a phenomenal job standing out and showing this band to be a polished one.

Making up for the lack of distinctiveness with vehemence can make your work stand out. You can answer the question of thrash resemblance in the new wave with pure energy to shake yourself loose from the label of “generic thrash”. I’d only argue that your work aspires to be a highly qualified run-through record. An album you listen to with the intention of hearing intense thrash riffage around you and not necessarily to marinate your consciousness in every single note.

That is the question that every thrasher has to wrestle with in the studio. “Can I do better at what everyone else is doing?” And I believe that Holycide has put forth something that will be a force in the new decade. Intensity and magnitude reign supreme in this European style thrash banger.

Rating 83/100