Although active since 1998, this is just the third full-length effort from these Chilean death metallers. Boasting the drummer who is now playing with the legendary Pentagram (Chile), Thornafire appears to be a three-piece steeped in the tradition of classic death metal. Whilst far from au fait with all its releases, Thornafire being signed to a label such as John McEntee’s purist Ibex Moon adds further preliminary (and totally preconceived) evidence for me that the band is about to sound more like Possessed than anything post 1990.
As it goes, Thornafire exhibits numerous influences from numerous times. The tightly picked riffs of ‘Carnaval Caos’ initially establishes the band’s core sound with elements of early Morbid Angel and Immolation, with vocals a mix of Peter from Vader/Max Cavalera. Some way through the opener, however, a horn-like instrument along with a number of techniques from the Dissection handbook of guitar playing appears to create an unexpectedly epic divergence. The following track, ‘Malefactor Manifest’, comes across in parts like latter day Krisiun, driven by an obscure, semi-tribal rhythm. Even a composition like ‘Ruptura’, which explodes out of the blocks like vintage Morbid Angel crossed with modern Behemoth, manages to find time for a nice contemplative reprieve before swinging back to action. ‘Vulgar Medium Ectoplasto’ returns to a groove more akin to that in track two before going in to some well-conceived melodic lead areas not too distant from the likes of At the Gates, Carcass or Dismember.
Thornafire’s palette of musical influences is clearly broad, and as they continue, the sounds incorporated become even broader with ‘Immortal Agonia’, which is musically reminiscent of something from the second Arch Enemy album without being flashy. Following this, both ‘Desintegración’ and ‘Disarmonica Tensión’ sound partially akin to Sepultura’s 00s records. And it is at this very point at which the band’s ability to mutate becomes somewhat lost on me. Towards the end of the album, I cannot – despite their obviously vast array of interests throughout – escape the rather lazy cliché of this South American band sounding quite a bit like Sepultura with blast-beats. In particular, Christian Argandoña’s bark and some of the tempos closing out the album seem to lean far more towards elements of the Brazilians’ career than anything else. Despite a bit of good meandering lead work, some black metal riffs and blasting flashes, ‘Eclipse Nox Coagula’ anticlimactically trudges to completion.
The range of Thornafire’s influences being melded undoubtedly works well throughout the first half of the album, and provides some points of genuine musical interest. However, there’s also little denying that the diverse edge glimpsed through the opening stages does dwindle disappointingly towards the end – Sepultura comparison or not. As it is, the album can be classified as ‘good’. If the musical approach had been more balanced throughout, ‘Eclipse Nox Coagula’ could have been upgraded to ‘very good’. To quote Shane Embury circa 1988, “There’s some good death metal bands in Chile.” Thornafire, for the most part, is one of them.
(6.5/10 Jamie Wilson)
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