ALBUM REVIEW: X – Artillery

In a just world, ARTILLERY would be massive. The Danish five-piece have consistently delivered the goods over their last few albums but for whatever reason they continue to live in the shadows of bigger bands. This could be down to bad timing. Whether it be reforming marginally too late to capitalise on the post-millennium thrash resurgence or releasing albums at the same time as ANTHRAX and MEGADETH, they’ve rarely had the spotlight to themselves and frequently get overlooked. They have maintained a devoted following however and anyone that’s tracked their career closely will not be disappointed by their latest.

To put it simply, X is brilliant. Their tenth full-length is a hyperactive, caffeine-addled monster. There are no clever tricks, it’s just eleven songs played with passion and determination and it’s impossible not to have a good time.

The only slight problem is that the first track is also the best one. The Devil’s Symphony starts off with a deceptive little riff that almost sounds like a bluegrass intro, before the distortion pedals turn on, the drums start thundering and it rockets into life. This is classic Satan-obsessed heavy metal, with a big, hooky chorus and some impressive guitar work. Wayne and Garth would approve.

From there, X continues to deliver the goods, even if they’ve set a high-water mark that’s tough to live up to. In Thrash We Trust and Turn Up The Rage are fist-pumping anthems and custom built to turn small venues into carnage. Silver Cross meanwhile sounds like it was recorded by a band who were strapped to a rollercoaster and told they couldn’t get off until they’d played it flawlessly.

Thus far, it’s been a rabid, up-tempo blast but they mix things up with The Ghost Of Me. It isn’t necessarily a ballad, but it plays with the quiet/loud dynamic and offers a respite from all the power-chord chaos, at least until the chorus kicks in. The darker lyrics and melancholy tone make it one of the more striking songs on offer, but it’s executed very well and shows there’s more to ARTILLERY than high-octane fret work.

Elsewhere, Varg I Veum’s werewolf theme takes them close to POWERWOLF territory and may split opinion, but if you don’t mind a bit of cheese it’s great fun. Force Of Indifference is like being hit in the face by a bus and Beggars In Black Suits turns a cynical subject into a life-affirming closer. It’s a rewarding and highly enjoyable listen, solidly built from start to finish. These songs all sit comfortably at the more melodic end of the thrash spectrum and like Spain’s ANGELUS APATRIDA and England’s REIGN OF FURY, ARTILLERY are pleasingly tuneful as well as heavy.

In short, ARTLLERY have once again pulled a blinder. This is crisp and accessible, there are no unintelligible vocals and they know how to write a beefed-up metal song. This should please the pit and the guys at the back who prefer to sing along in equal measure. If you like the faster side of metal you owe it to yourself to check this out.

Rating: 9/10

X is set for release on May 7th via Metal Blade Records. 

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