Review Summary: Black/thrash n' roll with epic/pagan lyrics? Sounds like a plan.
From the artwork, to the track titles and the lyrics, and from there to the actual music, (almost...) every album has a definitive and coherent story to tell. While things tend to become more and more predictable in terms of package marketing, there are few instances which stray from the norm. Take Stormride’s debut self-titled album for example. Even though the album cover and (the runelike) title font style, hint at extreme metal up the alley of Bathory, Enslaved, and Unleashed, these Ukrainian newcomers have coated their epic/pagan lyrical content with derivative, yet undeniably catchy black/thrash n’ roll.
The album’s short intro is not indicative of what’s to follow, however the first cut, named after the band name and the album title, leaves no doubt whatsoever. Even though they are rookies, Stormride play the game like a band with some years of experience on its back. Devoid of excess, the instrumental performance is stiff, and complements perfectly the plain, yet inexplicably addictive arrangements, which are based on a handful of “basic” riffs. The rock n’ roll element is strong, as bands like Motorhead and Aura Noir come into mind, yet, the sound is further spiced up by the incorporation of some “Stockholm death metal” which grants the album a “sludgier” tone. Although there can be no dispute as to what is the dominant style in
Stormride, the album’s “monotony” is diluted by the epic cut “Endless Sky”, in which a solid loan from Bathory (even Manowar) is evident.
All in all,
Stormride is one of those “little” albums that have a few twists to separate it from the lot of homologous releases. On another note, it’s an ideal warm-up point for any prominent black/thrash jam marathon, domestic or venue-oriented.
