Review by Sandre the Giant
I don’t know too much about Philadelphia death/thrashers In the Fire and their new record ‘Test of the Pendulum Blade’, other than it is their third full length of riff and death laden thrash, and it is out now on Satanath Records. But, if it is out on Satanath, there’s a good chance that it’ll be good right and what’s life without a little mystery?!
Well, if you are into the riffs, then In the Fire are the band for you. Scorching out of the gate with a zeal and ferocity that would make the finiest of the German thrash old guard take note, ‘In the Name of God’ is a brilliant opener. There’s riffs everywhere, a real taste of early Kreator rages across ‘Cemetery Evil’, while the gallop of ‘Alluring Parasite’ just reminds you about the unending reliance of thrash on catchy ass riffs, in this case a remarkably ‘Holy Wars’-esque one. There’s also a lot of big chugging riffs, not quite breakdowns (although ‘Blasphemously Blessed’ comes close in places), betraying a love of At the Gates and even a little Black Dahlia Murder in their heavier moments. ‘Rest in Power’ is an absolute must listen, screaming from the blocks like prime late 90s melodeath, and it really helps give you a taste of just how diverse the influences here must be. I mean yes, it is all still death metal, thrash and melodeath, but In the Fire construct some excellent songs out of said influences, and don’t ever really sound like any of them in particular.
‘Test of the Pendulum Blade’ is a record that will set your world ablaze with its passion, its enthusiastic take on old school thrash and classic melodeath, and leave you ready to put it straight back on again. The riffs are mighty, the tracks are memorable and to be honest, it is pretty great to just have a band that isn’t going for a gimmicked sound; just a straightforward killing machine of metal. In the Fire are a band that ticks that box just right.
https://www.facebook.com/inthefireofficial/