Evile – “Skull” (Earache)
Even in this day and age, Evile prove that people still have an insatiable hunger for early Metallica. They play ‘..Puppets..’ era style thrash even faster than Ulrich & co did back in their day whilst vocalist Matt Drake could give James Hetfield hemorrhoids given how uncannily close he sounds to him ha ha! “Skull” is the bands 4th album and by now you’d be thinking there’d be something different – but nope, Evile soldier on doggedly with songs like ‘Underworld’, ‘Head Of The Demon’ and ‘What You Become’. It’s not all played at breakneck speed and there are even quiet passages here n there as the band try out different arrangements and mixes, but it soon returns to Metalli-thrash, which clearly lies at the heart of this band. Additionally the songs are somewhat longer showing more confidence in improved technique as well as ease with new producer Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Lock Up etc) who’s gone for a very raw sound in keeping the guitars right up front. As such, “Skull” represents a continuation rather than progression in Evile’s career with nowt taken owt, and that’s no bad thing in this band’s case.
