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There’s always been a fine line between potent homage and pointless pastiche, but there’s no mistaking the real, snottily atavistic deal when you hear it. Evil are a thrash metal band in the original sense of the term; this is old-school heavy metal delivered at breakneck speed and with the omnipresent stench of cheap vodka and piss-rusty bullet belts ensuring that the past is alive and well in the present. Proud students of Possessed, Venom and Bathory, this Japanese trio know that Hell Awaits is a much better album than God Hates Us All and that Motörhead were the greatest punk rock band of all time. Raw but punchier than a lot of self-consciously retro speed metal, Rites… is aimed squarely at the cult metal nostalgia set, but more broad-minded thrash fanatics are strongly advised to check this out, too.
