Angelus Apatrida – Cabaret De La Guillotine album review

Spanish thrashers Angelus Apatrida take on the US troops at their own game

By Dave Ling
( Metal Hammer )
published
Angelus Apatrida – Cabaret De La Guillotine album cover
Cabaret De La Guillotine

Angelus Apatrida Cabaret De La Guillotine album cover

1. Sharpen The Guillotine
2. Betrayed
3. Ministry Of God
4. The Hum
5. Downfall Of The Nation
6. One Of Us
7. The Die Is Cast
8. Witching Hour
9. Farewell
10. Martyrs Of Chicago

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The Riff: it’s the reason that you’re reading Hammer and the cornerstone of heavy metal music. Like the rest of us, Spanish thrash metal foursome Angelus Apatrida love riffs. This, their sixth album, suggests they devour them for breakfast, lunch and tea, and also as a bedtime snack. The band are fiercely patriotic, walking the fine line of their homeland’s censorship laws to challenge what they consider its “dictatorship, injustice, fascism, corruption”. That such anger flows through the razor-sharp Downfall Of The Nation, Betrayed and Ministry Of God is inevitable. These are fine, furious and well-constructed songs that make it hard to credit Angelus Apatrida hail from Albacete and not America’s Bay Arena – the melting point of where it all began. An intelligent mix of tempos and a crystal-clear production strike home, but what really impresses is the impact of those riffs.

For Fans Of: Exodus, Death Angel, Sepultura

Dave Ling
Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.