Blood Tsunami’s members have been spread across various bands over the past few years. The Norwegian thrash outfit are now back in business and bring “Grave Condition” to the metal table as their latest offering five years after their last album. They’re certainly not strangers to the scene having started life in the early 00’s and offer no bells or whistles to their traditional thrash roots. This album blends four fresh tracks with previous creations that had not seen light of day.

The band proudly wear their influences on their collective sleeve and the unashamed Possessed meets Kreator blast of “Poison Tongue” sets an early template for the rest of the album. Sure, it’s old school thrash metal by numbers but it’s hard not to feel the need for some aggressive head hanging. Throat shredding vocals arrive on “The Allegory Of The Cave” after a stalking, spiky intro reminiscent of very early Metallica. The mid to late ‘80’s quest for speed is lapped up in all its’ glory overlaid with primal grunts on “Gargoyle” that would surely bring a smile to Tom G Warrior’s face. The guitar breaks move from stinging blasts to tortured screams as each track explodes in circa three minute blasts.

The early days of classic thrash continue to be explored via “The Cruel Leading The Fool”. The raw groove brings to mind “Hell Awaits” era Slayer with biting riffs and twists but it’s tracks such as “Dungeon Of The Rats” with its’ very Teutonic stylings that display their ability to deliver a Kreator inflamed fury that verges in the animalistic. Their seemingly anthemic “For Faen I Hælvete!” is a visceral, hardcore punk inspired salvo that pretty much condenses the album’s edge before the closer “Steel Meets Steel” where the vocals take on a nastier edge and the squealing guitars create a mosh pit inciting torrent.

This album is a lot of fun. Thrash metal lovers will find reason to get their heart rates up but anyone looking for fresh inspiration might be left wanting. Having said that, the album’s bloodied enthusiasm is hard to resist. Blood Tsunami have plenty of energy pumping through them and it’s that more than infectious aspect that makes “Grave Condition” worthy. Go on then…

(7/10 Johnny Zed)

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https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/grave-condition