Artillery is one of Denmark’s legends in the 80’s underground. 1985’s Fear of Tomorrow was one of the constant rotating albums in my arsenal back in the day, and I’ve not lost track of these guys since then. By the time By Inheritance came out in 1990 the band had hits its mark, but the line of strong albums didn’t even come close to ceasing there. Granted, there have only been six full-length releases since the band’s inception in 1982, but the discography includes some serious thrash metal goodies.

The latest opus in My Blood sets Artillery right up alongside other old-school heavyweights like Helstar, Accept, Onslaught and Destruction in the line of bands still cranking out stellar tunes. With a lot of newer bands it seems the pace is set to outdo not only each other, but the respective band’s preceding album(s). This wastes valuable time racing an invisible entity, but it goes to show the elder gods need no such trivial devices; they play their music in accordance with both lineage and honesty.

My Blood starts out with “Mi Sangre (The Blood Song)”, which has a Middle Eastern feel, then quickly kicks into gear and flips the equation without mercy. With original Flemming Ronsdorf long gone, and while his presence was undeniable on the early recordings, vocalist Søren Nico Adamsen issues a no-holds-barred approach to these tracks much like he did on 2009’s When Death Comes. His high rasp is just the right combination for an album laden with strong and memorable tracks like “Dark Days”, “Ain’t Giving In”, and “Warrior Blood”. There’s definitely a fine line treaded here between traditional heavy metal and thrash, but it is thick enough that both genres’ fans can get into this album without problem. Make no mistake, Artillery hasn’t let up one iota in its aging; it seems metal music keeps us all young in the face of older age.

The album hosts great production, seriously heavy riffs that are a bit familiar, yet not the same-old, same-old in recycled design. Quite the contrary, the same basic chords and scales can always find new life when a band cares enough to actually take an extra interest in its own music; too many bands waste time and space rehashing and/or stealing from its own catalog, but we’ll leave San Francisco out of it for now. Brothers Michael and Morten Stutzer share shredding duties on My Blood and the familial familiarity makes for a comfortable sound for both the band and the listener; they just gel well together, which is always a good thing when trying to produce a solid album. “Warrior Blood” is a strong representation of what the band is trying to convey through its capable and relevant lyrics as well as well-toned music. The fast sections are fast without uneven pace and the slower parts fit well with the pattern of the album; you simply won’t be disappointed as a thrash metal connoisseur young or old.

I’m glad to see a band like Artillery still making quality music, and the ardent thrashers all over the spectrum should get something positive from this album, so leap in feet first.                 

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Mi Sangre (The Blood Song)
2.  Monster
3.  Dark Days
4.  Death is an Illusion
5.  Ain't Giving In
6.  Prelude to Madness
7.  Thrasher
8.  Warrior Blood
9.  Concealed in the Dark
10.  End of Eternity
11.  The Great

Total playing time: 53:32

Release Date: March 29, 2011
Label: Metal Mind Records

Artillery - My Blood

Reviewer: Chris

March 30, 2011