Written by Carcassbomb
- Soul Of Anubis
- The Last Journey
- Progressive Thrash Metal
- Portugal
- September 6, 2019
- 6.8/10
I’m not a big fan of thrash but through recently listening to Coroner and now this, progressive thrash may be the most digestible format for me. It kills a lot of the boring and repetitive elements that are considered a structural. Hailing from Portugal, Soul Of Anubis are a super loud trio – there’s a thickness that shouldn’t be afforded to so few people. They also look super charming and approachable, just look at the picture below.
The vocals are the centrepiece of the music, they’re damn big, voice like a canyon. I prefer it when his voice is barer, like a hardcore styling because with a presence like that, adding effects on mic or in post, is a hat on a hat. The dual vocals hardcore style on “Shade Of Oblivion” (around 4min mark), is a perfect example of this album really capturing something. Other times the focus tends to be towards an overproduced Gojira brand of djenty thrash which feels flatter to me.
The Last Journey is an intense and persistent album with a sound that constantly feels like it is moving forward or battling. It’s something most metalheads will be comfortable with, I just wish they dropped the beat and slowed it down more often than they did because I always dig those moments. I also like the harmonious vocals added on “The King”. The interesting moments just need to be a little closer together because there is a decent chunk of the album that had me zoning out a bit and having to go back.
“The Last Journey” had a nice opening with a lone bass line and I’m wondering where that bass emphasis has been for the rest of the record, it would have been a welcome touch. Solo or popping bass is something I will always appreciate. As thick as they sound, I think they need to know when to cut it in half, they go for it full blown the whole damn time. But plenty of you will enjoy and admire that about them so give them a go for yourself.
The artwork by Diogo Soares is a nice touch and the physical CDs are limited to 300 so might as well get one while you can.
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