Three years after the EP Catacalysm saw the light of day, UK thrashers Warpath release their debut. I’m quite fond of the current thrash revival, and am somewhat surprised that so many different bands have managed to make a name for themselves. Large-scale self-promotion and feature privileges in renowned metal magazines and on various radio shows have brought the band much exposure. You’ve got to give the band some credit for the hard work they put down to establish a reputation within the international metal scene. Damnation has received critical acclaim from magazines, websites and fans all over the world, and sold out all copies in Japan within two days(!). Not really that odd since this is a pretty damn solid debut. It’s fast, furious and the gloves are off from the very first intense riff of the title-track.

Especially the guitars remind me of the sound on the later Annihilator records. On one hand it brings back memories from the terrible Metal from last year, but unlike Annihilator, these guys actually now how to create killer thrash. The production is crunchy, and the guitars and bass are particularly dominant. Both are relatively loud in the mix, but are never in danger of drowning the vocals or drums. However, the leads here are sometimes too loud, which sounds a little out of place. Vocalist Richard Goss sounds a little too gentle, and comes off as a little less angry and violent than he tries to. However, the driving force behind Warpath is the riffs. They never let go of the chokehold they so firmly place in the opening seconds. They’re fast and galloping, fierce and full of minor hooks everywhere. The machinegun drumming by skin-beater James Davenport is as technically clean and as exciting as it should be, following every riff attack with striking precision.

If you’re looking for something new within the thrash scene, you will not find it here. This is nothing new or original. Warpath is another addition to the wave of thrash metal that is released upon us by the metal gods. However, this is ranked as one of the best up and coming modern thrash bands all over the globe, only falling short of fellow UK thrash mongers Evile, Toxic Holocaust and the already firmly established Municipal Waste. There are no dull moments to be found on this one and Expandable Forces finishes a remarkably strong debut from one of the UK’s hottest acts. If Warpath continues in this direction, and try to develop a little with each release, it is likely that they will become a successful band with a lot to offer. It is not without a reason that they have been receiving better reviews than both Metallica’s and Testament’s recent releases. If you are, like me, a fan of the current thrash wave, you should get this.