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Bestia Immundis

    
       
       
       
     
             
Assassin are a thrash metal band from Germany, forming in 1982 as Satanica, changing their name to Assassin the following year, and releasing their debut album 'The Upcoming Terror' in 1987. Their second album 'Interstellar Experience' followed in 1988, with the band unfortunately splitting in 1989. Reforming in 2002, the band released their third album 'The Club' in 2005, and their fourth, 'Breaking The Silence' in 2011. The bands fifth album 'Combat Cathedral' emerged in 2016, and in 2020 the band will release their sixth album 'Bestia Immundis', an incredible thirty three years after their debut...    
             
...and what a spectacular album 'Bestia Immundis' is. We all know the brutal and aggressive nature of German thrash metal, courtesy of the Teutonic Four - Kreator, Sodom, Destruction and Tankard - but with 'Bestia Immundis' comes a brutality, a ferocity and a fierceness that combines everything the Teutonic Four deliver, and then adds some! Seriously, Assassin have delivered an exceptionally fast and highly aggressive thrash album that's gonna break bones, crush skulls and demolish buildings. The ferocity doesn't relent for one minute of the albums fifty minute play time, each one of the eleven songs a fast and furious barrage. Hitting the ground running, 'The Swamp Thing' is a savagely brutal and fierce opening salvo. The harsh growly vocals are perfectly suited to this abrasive thrash metal gallop. And the gallop gets more furious as 'How Much Can I Take?' takes the brutality level much higher. The savage assault that Assassin are dishing out is severe enough to call the cops and be done over for GBH! And crikey, the brutality gets even more brutal, with the savage pummelling handed out by the fiery 'No More Lies'. The pace of the album after the opening three songs is electrifying, and one hundred percent exhilarating.    
             
An exhilaration that motors on at high velocity with the phenomenal 'Not Like You'. A bit more of a clean vocal delivery than heard so far, 'Not Like You' is furiously fast but has a certain melodic edge that places it alongside the likes of Testament, Flotsam And Jetsam, and Death Angel. And oh my God, how fucking quick is 'The Wall'? Land speed record breaking, that's how much. At over six minutes in length, 'The Wall' is by far and away the longest song on offer, and is a monumental observation of the politics involved in the planned wall by America to divide itself from Mexico. And the high speed, high velocity thrash metal assault powers on at full pelt with 'Hell's Work Is Done'. The savagery that Assassin play with is brutal and vicious, the vocals spitting venom, the guitars a menacing stab, and the drums a violent pummelling - a perfect description of how 'Hell's Work Is Done' will affect you. You have been warned.    
             
A short mellow guitar intro breathes life into 'The Killing Light', before it turns in to a frantic and frenetic thrash metal onslaught. As mentioned earlier the pace of the album is phenomenal, placing an enormous strain on the neck muscles, as they nod the head back and forth at high speed trying to keep up with the blistering pace. And to be honest - it's a losing battle that may be lost entirely as 'Shark Attack' comes alive in a blaze of guitars, and proceeds to scorch the Earth as it hurtles by at incredible speed. 'Shark Attack' may be the shortest song on offer, but it is the quickest and most ferocious - just like a shark attack! And the ferocity continues with 'War Song', a fiery and very abrasive gallop that is gonna wreak havoc and devastation wherever it may roam, leaving only desolation in its wake. A superb album comes to a close with the two part 'Chemtrails'. The first part is a two minute instrumental, all menacing and moody, setting a scary, chill to the bones atmosphere, ready for part two to launch a ferocious attack. An attack that is both savage and fierce, straining neck muscles past the point of ripping, and leaving listeners in no shadow of a doubt, that 'Bestia Immundis' is a superb album, and deserves to be high in the running for title of "Album of the Year 2020".    
             
Overall, a phenomenally fast paced, savage barrage of ferocious thrash metal, fiercely brutal and an absolutely fantastic listen.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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Skullblast E.P.      
           
"a ferocity fuelled rampage of highly head bang-able thrash from one of the best thrash metal bands around - Assassin" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             
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