Xentrix - Seven Words (2022)

Xentrix was another of what I'd dub the 'two and done' metal acts of the 80s to early 90s. You know, a solid debut thrash effort, a more promising sophomore (sometimes it goes in reverse), and then either they spend the majority of that latter decade in oblivion or diminishing returns. It's sad enough that the British band got a lot of its attention from a cheesy cover of Ray Parker Jr.'s theme to Ghostbusters, but they also put out some really weak records later on that all declined to resonate with me nearly as much as their first two. When they released Bury the Pain after their 2010s reunion, that was admittedly a decent offering, their best since 1990, and now Seven Words hopes to capitalize on the newfound energy and buzz, a new era 'sophomore' that could hopefully further reestablish some good will against the burgeoning scene of oldies and newbies.

It's a bunch of stuff we've heard before, of course. Initially the band had a lot of comparisons to Metallica, they were one that sort of broke out in the wake of your Master of Puppets or ...And Justice for All, but I think here "Behind the Walls of Treachery" or throughout the title track, I'm reminded a lot more of Testament, only a blander Testament which can't quite cultivate the excitement of that band on some of their more recent albums. Don't get me wrong, I don't cite this similarity as some major flaw of the band, I'm into the style, and Xentrix perform it with some maturity and dynamic ideas, but the lion's share of this record is just modern, meaty everyman's thrash which doesn't sound like it took a terribly long time to devise. They add just enough mood through the leads, and there is certainly a core Xentrix sound here which is carried forward from the early years, but if not for that scant melodic flavor, most of this would go in one ear and out the other because it's been done so much before...

This style of thrash doesn't quite have that immortal, hellish youth of the more blackened speed thrash niche, so it's really gotta go long on the songwriting, and there is just not much here to remember. Jay Walsh, who also did vocals/guitars on the previous album, does his best to sound like the earlier years, with a bit of added Chuck Billy heft, and the leads and more surgical riffs and melodies spice it up. The bass has a nice fat tone, the drums play it a little too safe, although that's in keeping with the older material I suppose. In the end, I simply would not be able to pick most of this stuff out of a lineup. They don't fuck around with the classic Xentrix formula, and so that's a plus for people who really want more of that, and I certainly banged my head to a few tunes like "My War" and closer "Anything but the Truth", but ultimately so little stands out in the crowd. If you're looking for an English response to Titans of Creation, slam it, but otherwise it had little impact on me.

Verdict: Indifference [6.5/10]

https://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - Bury the Pain (2019)

Xentrix was a competent if unexceptional British thrash band that, after two worthwhile albums and a goofy cover of the Ghostbusters theme, quickly fell victim to the 90s, when their subgenre dissolved in the face of grunge and death and black extremtiy. That's not to say that they gave up the fight, but the albums they produced after that were really generic and increasingly dumbed down without the catchier tracks like "Balance of Power" or "Questions" to guide them. Some 17 years after Scourge, they decided to get back together for real, and now we're seeing the fruits of that reunion in Bury the Pain, an album that is probably the best at capturing the style of the debut Shattered Existence and thrusting that into the 21st century with the expected louder and cleaner production values that will help modernize them with the current darlings of the era circa Warbringer, Evile, and their ilk.

There is no argument at all that this is about the purest thrash you're going to find, taking that heavy Bay Area/West Coast influence of the 80s and laying it out straight to the table. Choppy, propulsive riffs that all sound as if they've been paraphrased from the Testament backlog with a heavy helping of Master of Puppets. Solidly structured, with your normal verse/chorus builds but some decent riffs in the bridges, including a couple that have a slightly more clinical feel. The leads are all placed perfectly well but aren't terribly memorable, and the rhythm section here operates in perfect lockstep to provide what is on paper a flawless execution of the material. The biggest change to some might be the new vocalist/guitarist Jay Walsh, but to his credit he actually does a good job in emulating the original Chris Astley who has done various stings with the band. His timbre is slightly deeper, but possesses that same sort of grainy vibe, which also reminds me a hell of a lot of some of Steev Esquivel's stuff in Defiance, a band that is also quite a good comparison to Xentrix in general, as they were both sort of second stringers of the 80s thrash medium that had potential but very little originality...Aussies Mortal Sin also fell into this subset.

On a technical level I think this album is fine, but it does suffer a little bit from sounding uninspired, much like the modernized albums of their countrymen Onslaught. Bury the Pain is more melodic and catchy than some of that group's latest studio outings, but they both lack an element of personality which comes as a symptom of just how straightforward and structured they feel. Don't get me wrong, if you're just looking for an album that gives you the feel of a Shattered Existence, Face of Despair or Practice What You Preach, then Bury the Pain is more than serviceable. I think it's a far superior beast to either Kin or Scourge, but I think the album could really use some more blistering fast sequences or choruses that don't all feel the same. It just passes muster. It's almost like Xentrix is committing to be the best average thrash band they can be, and even if I found myself banging head to "The Red Mist Descends" or "Let the World Burn", they just didn't have the sorts of riff variety and qualities that will make them stand out to me long after. Now that they're back, and have successfully gotten back to the point that they were at in 1989, I'd like to hear a longer reach with more interesting songs that can reach outside the safety zone without sinking into the mediocrity of their post-1990 run.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

https://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Hellfighter - Damnation's Wings (2011)

An examination of Hellfighter's lineup reveals it to consist of 80% former Xentrix members, including drummer Dennis Gasser, axe slinger Kristian Havard, and vocalist Simon Gordon, whose presence on that act's unfortunate, crippled swansong Scourge (1996) was less than encouraging. However, it turns out Gordon gets a last laugh in this new incarnation, because rather than just reignite that band like every other now obscure thrash act is doing, they've wisely decided to channel their musical evolution into a new entity. Hellfighter are not as directly thrash as Xentrix, but the bricks of the foundation are still present, here imbued within an envelope of traditional power and heavy metal with thundering drums and thick chugged rhythms.

Gordon works out well here, his voice more of a workmanlike beast than before, and the lyrics not involving any of the unfortunate accidents found upon Scourge. He can scream with the pitch of a siren, and does so fluently, but the majority of the lines are delivered with strafing, mid range aggression. The guitars are driving here, and the rhythm section rock tight (Dennis reunited with Mel Gasser, Xentrix bassist in their early years). I'd hardly call Hellfighter a storm of riffing, most of the structure serves as a solid support for the vocal thrust, power thrash combo with a bit of 90s induced grooves not unlike the later Xentrix albums. However, tracks like "A Lesser God", "Damnation's Wings" and "Faith in Lies" exhibit that this British band is well aware of how to compose a verse and chorus procession. "Descent" goes on further, with a more clinical guitar sequence that brings to mind For Whose Advantange? and I was thankful for that; plus the longer tracks "Bring Only Pain" and "Firewalker" well manage their periods of calm and violent escalation.

It becomes a little harder to place Hellfighter into the current metal spectrum, since a large number of the old Xentrix fans are probably not always keen on the more traditional power inclinations, and vice versa. However, I'd say that those who enjoy the modern chugging of a band like Evergrey or Nevermore, or perhaps the darker albums from Nocturnal Rites, might want to give this a try. The production is flush with the times, loud and crushing where applicable, graceful elsewhere, but always honest. There is certainly enough of their former selves, combining the Metallica-like 80s ingredients with their less appealing 90s components, to draw back those curious to whether or not they've still 'got it', and while I won't praise the album to the same extent that I might have once serviced Shattered Existence or For Whose Advantage?, it was not at all unpleasant to experience. For what it is, Damnation's Wings succeeds, with some room for further growth that veterans like these should have little difficulty filling.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.hellfighter.co.uk/

Xentrix - Scourge (1996)

Four years after their departure from the Roadracer/Roadrunner brand, England's Xentrix would take yet another stab at the spotlight, though they'd be doing it without central component Chris Astley, and the sad, sad Scourge would be the result. Though I might be able to sympathize with the fact that the band have at least attempted to write a more captivating, aggressive album than its slothful precursor Kin, I'm afraid that this is not manifest through some wanton return to the band's solid roots in Shattered Existence or For Whose Advantage?, but a sorry stab at groove metal and even at one point, a rappish metal that will truly have you rolling in the aisles with your 'what the fuck' faces on.

I'm not saying that Scourge is devoid of thrash, because through all of this, Krisitian Havard's terse 1988-1990 riffing somehow manages to surface, and the rhythm section of Dennis Gasser and Paul MacKenzie is as punchy and potent as ever (in particular the bass on this album, which pops along unconditionally). The problem is that the songs suck, like some ridiculous disposal area for ideas that should have been left on the studio cutting room floor. A song like "Strength of Persuasion" begins with blistering, interesting melodies and then waylays them for incredibly boorish, big groove metal that even Godsmack might have passed on, while "13 Years" opens with a hostile ambiance and more forgettable grooves in between small spikes of the thrash we once loved. "Never Be" and "Creed" feature laughable, bouncy juggernaut grooves, even though new vocalist Simon Gordon, who does a decent job of remaining in Chris Astley's emotional, Bay Area style snarling territory, turns in a half-decent performance there.

But perhaps the biggest offender is "Caught You Living", a progressive groove metal track in which Gordon actually raps out the verse. Now, say what you will about rap and metal in combination, personally I think it's a solid idea that's never borne truly worthwhile fruit, I've even failed at it myself, but if you're going to go for it, go all out I say. In the case of this track, it's incredibly dorky sounding as Gordon attempts to blend the far too white vocal patterns with the screaming of the bridge, and then when the song actually stays consistent in its new rhythmic structures, it feels like an unwashed stain upon its hide. It's pretty pathetic, and combined with the album's other sour spots, like the airy but empty thrash/ballad "Breathe" that rides out the track list, it makes for what is by far the worst of Xentrix' full-length outputs, making even Kin seem acceptable by comparison. Just another victim of the 90s, and of themselves. Burn after listening.

Verdict: Fail [3.5/10]

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - Kin (1992)

Want to know something I've never needed in my entire life? A picture of a thrash band on the cover of their album. There might be an exception here or there (Suicidal Tendencies comes to mind), but surely, the iconic cover art and logos are such an essential element to the genre, whether modern or retrospective, and to see Xentrix strike a pose on their third long player seemed to hint at a different wind blowing from the isles of their origin, a muse hissing a voice of change throughout the pantheon. Kin is, in fact, the point at which this promising English thrash band, who were in steady ascent through their first two records, jumped the shark, and though it's not as jilting a horror as, say Vol 8: The Threat is Real, or St. Anger, or Mourning Has Broken, it's so underwhelming that you almost feel pity for the nine tracks within.

Two of these tracks appeared on The Order of Chaos single, and represented some of the more energetic, loyal thrash fare you'll find here, but then, neither of them is highly compelling. "The Order of Chaos" itself weaves spikes of longing melody through a pattern of mutes and chords that doesn't have the riffing quality of their past compositions, and though Astley turns in a fairly emotional performance, it's nothing more than pleasant. "All Bleed Red" is one of the few real aggressors here, a song quite in line with their sophomore effort, but lacking that memorable chorus or guitar passage to number it among their better pieces. There are a few more half-assed thrashers here like "Waiting" and "A Friend to You" which also have some refined, melodic tints that recall Metallica, but unfortunately these too are not encompassed within a greater song.

But the real problem here is that the band have gone limp on us, or rather, decided to experiment with slowing some of their cuts to the point that they were more likely to hit the soft rock airwaves than the metal channel, and while I'm not completely opposed to such a transition, and Xentrix manage to hang on to barely tolerable with it, it gets a little tiring when these drawn out emotions are prevalent on so much of the album, like "No More Time", "Release", "Come Tomorrow". "See Through You" is interesting, with a tint of doom metal to it, but it's still lacking something, and by the time the band bust out the closing blitz of "Another You", the album is really beyond saving, which is a shame, because although it just sounds like a "Questions, Jr.", Kin really need more injections of energy like this to pace it out.

Kin is largely lackluster with only a few moments of the band revealing themselves, and it's no surprise that this would be the finale with Roadrunner/Roadracer Records, what with the massive decline in interest for this sort of metal, or rather, the sort Xentrix used to play. I can't help but conjure images of a prize stallion, looking good for its first few races, then succumbing to horrible injury, running slowly and painfully, before being put out of its misery. Someone needs to inform the next of kin, because by the sound of this, we've lost another one...

Verdict: Indifference [5/10]

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - The Order of Chaos EP (1992)

The Order of Chaos was a single/EP release through Roadracer that was used to promote their third album Kin, but let's be real about this: in 1992, was there much cause for excitement over anything in the sinking thrash genre? With the very rare exception, no, there wasn't, and Xentrix enforced this decline with some rather inept decisions to mellow themselves out even further from the sampling we heard on the Dilute to Taste EP, becoming the elevator music equivalent of thrash metal, so this is but the warm up to another major disappointment, made more so by the fact that the band's sophomore For Whose Advantage? had been quite promising.

Basically, this single release captures two tracks from the full-length, "The Order of Chaos" and "All Bleed Red". The former makes sense as the single and lead-in to the album, because sadly it is the best song found within, with somber melodic guitars and pulsing muted thrash rhythms that show the spirit hasn't entirely fled the band. However, as the new originals from Dilute to Taste hinted, the band is now about absorbing the listener into a more spacious envelope of sound. "All Bleed Red" is, coincidentally, the second best song on Kin, and perhaps the closest on that album to the materail from For Whose Advantage? Rounding this out is a cover of The Teardrop Explodes' "Reward", a peppy post-punk piece given a slightly metallic treatment that is pretty forgettable, but at least it's no "Ghost Busters"...

It's almost ironic that most of the best metallic content of the Kin album is contained within this single, but ultimately it's a worthless release, since you can probably get the full-length for a few dollars more and never miss the added content. I wouldn't call the cover 'bad', and I'm sure Xentrix felt it showed off their diverse tastes in music, but this isn't really a band I want to hear outside of their riffier, energetic flair like "Questions" or "Balance of Power", and The Order of Chaos is relegated to yet another piece of worn, useless plastic that might have sold a few hundred copies at shows or record shops, but few if any would ever care about again.

Verdict: Fail [3/10]

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - Dilute to Taste EP (1991)

Xentrix were a band that constantly busied themselves in their off years by releasing singles and EPs like this one to keep their small but enthusiastic fanbase sated until they could whip up the next batch of central career motivators. Dilute to Taste is these days available on the CD re-release of For Whose Advantage?, and that is probably the preferred location to experience it if you've only lately gotten into their material, due to the sheer economic convenience. I personally grabbed this on cassette, and it's not much to look at, but the contents aren't so disappointing in the grand scheme of the band's history, looking back on the travesty that was Ghost Busters...

There are two new tracks present, that you won't find elsewhere, and both are flush with the stylistic direction of For Whose Advantage?, and the real reason to obtain this EP, even if they leave a little to be desired. "Pure Thought" is, as its name implies, a pretty pensive, mellowed thrasher, and if you've heard their later album Kin, a natural stepping stone in the transition to the band's melodic, 'thoughtful' thrash patterns that they would continue exploring. "Shadows of Doubt" starts with a nice, somber clean guitar segment before laying out the chords and a taut yet simplistic thrasher, once again making a great use of expansive space rather than truly busy thrashing riffs. There are muted fills here or there, but largely it just relies on bigger chords and Astley's inflections of emotional angst, which thankfully are not repulsive.

The remainder of the EP is filled out by a quartet of live cuts, including "Balance of Power" and "Crimes" from Shattered Existence, both of which sound decent, and "Kept in the Dark", which is not one of my favorites from For Whose Advantage?, but it's not bad. Sadly, the final track is their cover of "Ghostbusters", which I've already expressed my feelings about, and sounds no better in the live setting, even if some drunken jackasses are actually requesting it. How would they look at themselves in the morning? Even Astley shouts 'You don't really wanna hear Ghost Busters, do ya?' to pump up the crowd, who should have been leaving at even the suggestion. But nothing else here is offensive, so it's worth hearing if you enjoyed the band's sophomore, but not worth paying for independently if you can't get the version with it included.

Verdict: Indifference [5.75/10]

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - For Whose Advantage? (1990)

As cheesy as its anti-corporate implications might seem, I've always found the cover to Xentrix' sophomore album to be quite iconic, so it's only too fitting that the musical content of the album itself is the best the band has ever written. There's both an increase in overall riffing and structural quality here, not to mention a damp, punchy tone to the guitars which imbues them with this condensed, thrash gait that really gets on well with Chris Astley's vocals. There's also a clinical, technical advancement to the performances which is simply more interesting that what was found on Shattered Existence. Of course, there are still clear similarities to bands like Testament or Metallica, but it's obvious the band were starting to depart from such well tread waters into their own little niche, which I dare say even brings in the influence of more locally grown Euro thrash like Destruction.

It helps that the record begins with such an excellent song in "Questions", probably my personal favorite of the band's career, edging out "Balance of Power" from the debut. A nice, harsh chorus melody to the vocals, surging and devious riffs that spike in tiny, dire melodies. "For Whose Advantage?" is another great track, with a mellow bass intro and an almost melancholy sense of desperation to the open, simple riffs. Tracks like "The Human Condition" and "Black Embrace" maintain the power level of "Questions" with similar setups in the guitar, and though it might come as unexpected, the cover of Gillan's "Running White Face City Boy" is not so bad. There are a few tunes here which don't deliver quite the same level of thrills, namely "The Bitter End" or "Kept in the Dark", but in the end they're not far enough behind to really drag down the overall effort that much, and you can usually listen through For Whose Advantage? front to back and come out the richer.

I'm going to admit that England gets a bit of a by when it comes to the thrash metal genre, as their later 70s, early 80s heavy/speed metal was partially responsible for its creation, so the fact that there aren't a hell of a lot of releases of note to wag my dick at does not disappoint me. You have some pretty huge exceptions in a Sabbat, Pariah or Onslaught, but Xentrix is yet another name to bandy about, and For Whose Advantage? is probably the best album to start with. The debut is solid, undoubtedly, but it's not nearly as interesting as this, and the band had clearly begun to evolve into something greater. Unfortunately, this is also where the momentum halts, because the albums to come would not be this good. Kin does continue along in a similar fashion, but it's not as hard hitting, so creatively and riff for riff, this remains their peak.

Verdict: Win [8/10] (life is your reward)

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - Ghost Busters EP (1990)

Metal music has always been ridden with the pestilence of failed attempts at irony or humor, and this very often manifests in some extreme metal act performing a cover of a pop song. Once in a great while, it might succeed, but in the case of this ill-advised cover of Ray Parker Jr.'s theme to the Ghostbusters film, it is an abject failure that should be incinerated at every available opportunity. Riding high off the minor buzz that their debut Shattered Existence inspired, Xentrix decided to bridge the gap to their sophomore full-length with an EP/single featuring this cover as its central point, and fuck does this stink.

I remember heading to the mall to pick this up, under the assumption that it was just an original song inspired by the films, and being stunned at how utterly stupid this was. Happy, dorky guitars translate the original instrumental into one of the most disposable renditions available, even if played accurately with decent backing vocals like the original. The problem is, it's not funny. You might giggle at the irony of the idea for about 5 seconds until you realize that, no, it's really not funny, and a waste of time, even if that's less than 3 minutes of time. But the real issue here, is that the other tracks don't make up for it. "Nobody's Perfect" is bass-driven garbage, with mediocre thrash riffs and middling vocals up until the chorus, which is not equivalent to even the worst tracks on Shattered Existence.

Thus, any value to the release falls solely on the shoulders of "Interrogate", which is again, a mediocre piece that would've only scraped the bottom of the band's first two albums. The vocals and riffing dynamics are easily superior to the other tracks here, and it picks up into acceptable levels of thrust, but it's too little and too late and there are simply better options available in the remainder of the band's catalog. In short, there is absolutely no reason to hunt this down. The three tracks have since been included with the 2007 Metal Mind re-issue of the band's debut, but otherwise I would not spend even a dime on adding this to my collection. A cute gimmick, perhaps, but cute wasn't going to cut it, and I'd accept even the dorkiest phoning in of ironic, unfunny retro thrashing over this plebeian attempt at a pop culture gag.

Verdict: Epic Fail [1.75/10]

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/

Xentrix - Shattered Existence (1989)

Though they were considered little more than average in their day, Xentrix were easily one of England's more consistent thrash metal acts. Their debut Shattered Existence might have fallen somewhat short of iconic, but to these eyes and ears, it was just another in a long line of examples that once made the Roadracer imprint of Roadrunner records so damned special in the 80s, before it was merged with the parent, its roster whittled into nothingness, out in the cold, and looking for handouts from other labels. You won't find much by way of innovative writing here, the band was very clearly influenced by US acts like Metallica, Testament and so forth, but what they lacked in originality they compensated for with structure and sound.

Even today, two decades past the fact, Shattered Existence still sounds potent, thick with banks of thrusting guitars that dance between semi-fast and mid-paced moshing tempos, with subtle hints of complexity that don't entirely manifest into what some might consider 'technical' thrash, ever mindful of the accepted verse/chorus patterns that were carried into metal from the pop and rock genres. Chris Astley had an aggressive vocal style with a little less sharpness and emotional dialog, than say, James Hetfield, but by the standards of the late 80s it was efficient and created a functional symbiosis with the guitars and solid rhythm section. "Balance of Power" is my clear favorite of the album, and the first track I've heard from it, a simplistic momentum not unlike "Seek and Destroy", but I also enjoy the faster "Back in the Real World", the vicious "Dark Enemy" and the Testament-like "Bad Blood and Reasons for Destruction".

Not every song is memorable, but there aren't any I'd really consider bad. The opener "No Compromise" only has one good riff (the first), and then the chorus sounds similar to the great opener "Questions" from their sophomore For Whose Advantage?, and "Position of Security" is also pretty weak, with "Heaven Cent" suffering from some lame, pinchy Dave Mustaine styled vocals in the verse, until Astley returns to his Hetfield/Billy howling. Otherwise, the album is engaging enough to spin on occasion, though I wouldn't target this as essential if you're tracking down thrash/speed metal gems from the time period. The full-length followup is a better solution, with a handful of more enduring tracks, though the style is very much the same. As far as British thrash metal outside of legends like Sabbat or Onslaught, Xentrix showed a lot more promise than an Arbitrater, Decimator or Deathwish, but their dearth of ideas might have dragged them below the radars of the multitude.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (no cause worth dying for)

http://www.xentrix.co.uk/