Trenchant - Commandoccult

TRENCHANT - Commandoccult (GODZ OV WAR - CD 2022)

Let me tell you something - I just listened to one of the best albums of this year. I really did not expect it to be that good, but fuukkk, that CD has been in my stereo for two days now and I still have not enough. Actually, I want more and it doesn't look like I will let this album cool down that soon. Well, the band is called Trenchant - and it is a new name on the US death metal scene - although the line up consists members from some insanely respected bands. Which must be the whole secret of why it all sounds so incredibly good and why "Commandoccult" is such a standout. It couldn't come from greenhorns, right?

If I was going to describe the musical content briefly, then the easiest way would be just tell you it's "death metal". But damn, there's just more to it, in my opinion. First of all, Trenchant has that war-like, militarian sound, which makes me think of similarities with bands like Spearhead, Ares Kingdom or Pentacle, not to mention the good old Bolt Thrower. At the same time, "Commandoccult" has a bit thrashier, more vicious inclinations, where between the riffs and harsh vocals I could feel a strong resemblance to the great Aussie scene, with the likes of Gospel of the Horns or Destroyer 666. Yeah, you can guess how good it must be then. Every song is just a crushing death metal, bulldozer of razor sharp, fierce riffage and brute, aggressive force. And the best thing is, this music is memorable at the same time, some parts may even have that small dose of melody and even if it may feel a bit typical for the genre, it still kicks ass hard. Everything works like a war machine, precise and tight. Merciless and straight forward. And I also need to mention how great the production of "Commandoccult" is, I think this album sounds almost perfect for this sort of extreme metal. But I recommend that you get a copy and read Trenchant for yourself.I believe this is a very strong band and their debut album is absolutely a must have for all maniacs. Just brilliant stuff.

Standout tracks: "Trumpets of Jericho", "In the Fires of Night", "Burning Spires of Mercury", "Darkwater Graves"

Verdict: 85/100