Review Summary: Riffs, riffs and even more riffs!
Crossover thrash metal should be loud, angry, and heavy, and Ninth Realm knows this and has demonstrated their ability to do it with expertise. Despite the fact that
A Fate Unbroken is their debut album, they have already shown they are among the best the genre has to offer and can hold their own against some of the more well known heavy hitters of crossover thrash metal, such as Power Trip.
Once you press play, it is apparent that the band has a knack for riff writing. The riffs are relentless, intense, and fierce, and the energy these riffs create never diminishes until the record reaches its last second.
Plea to the Heavens features some of the strongest riffs on the album, with the yells in the chorus adding more punch to the track. Another potent aspect of the guitar work is the solos. Unlike most bands within the crossover thrash genre, the solos take a much more melodic approach, with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest being the obvious influences for these moments. These solos are strong and catchy, with the final minute of
Ondreis being the best example of this. However, the band still uses the classic, dissonant thrash solo, as
The Burning Wanderer perfectly displays. It is an extreme and sinister sounding solo, making this track another easy highlight.
The vocals on the album are mainly an imposing bark that somehow adds even more bite to the already harsh riffage. Additionally, the intense growls provide a sense of urgency whenever they are used. The drums are your fairly typical sound on a thrash album, but they don’t need to do much else anyway. It is a well established sound for a good reason, that reason being that it fits the style to a T. From the vigorous drum fills of
Evoke Thy Wrath to the rapid and unbridled intensity of
Witch’s Choir, the drums boast the fact that they are far from a weak link in the group.
Amongst the strongest songs on the album is the title track,
A Fate Unbroken, which closes out the album on an exceedingly high note. 80’s heavy metal inspired riffs begin the song that eventually build up to some solid leads. The verses return to the brutal crossover thrash style until it transitions into a first rate melodic chorus that features clean female vocals that are harmonised with a solid and catchy guitar line. Another track that fuses the heavy metal stylings with thrash metal perfectly is
Eternal Lance. The first half of the track is purely instrumental, with a shredding guitar solo and riffs that feel reminiscent of classics while still being wholly original.
Overall,
A Fate Unbroken is an exceptional crossover thrash record where every riff is intense and memorable. The energy rarely slows down, making the already short 33 minute runtime fly by. The heavy metal elements keep the sound fresh compared to other bands in the genre while also allowing for more melodic and creative solos. While the guitars are definitely the ones in the spotlight here, the rest of the band provides some undoubtedly solid performances as well. This is an easy recommendation to anyone who has previously enjoyed the genre, as every facet of the genre is executed with skill, with some more bells and whistles being shown too.
