By Ola Mazzuca
Upon first listen, I can envision my father saying, “These guys are pretty angry, eh?” He would never do this to evoke disapproval, for my parents have delved into metal enthusiastically since the beginning of my headbanging journey, however sarcasm would be highly evident amidst the confusion and chaos of Nihilistic Vision.
With the surge of thrash revival in the last couple of years, things get a little old as the international scene craves something fresh and intricate. With Die Hard, there are various different elements in the mix, leaving me wondering if this type of intricacy causes frustration rather than cultivation. This is exemplified on “Bloody War” when WW2 sound effects distract and “Hidden Face” presents lyrics that are gruesome yet audible.
The title track of this record has major undertones of punk, standing out amongst the rest of the death-tinged thrash. It is very mosh-inducing and enjoyable to listen to, providing some form of structure in comparison to the complete headache-inducing intro.
Similar to a post-modern poem, the album is dispersed and features lack of structure, which can be presented well if thought-out correctly. Despite half of the musical mess, the guitar work of Hasse is strong and precise that expresses undeniable talent above a clutter of sounds.
Something about Die Hard reminds me of Venom, even though I could never fully compare the two. Maybe it’s the slight punk influence to the intense tempo, or maybe it’s the overall ferocity. With titles of “Death Chasing The Flock Of Mortals” and “Fed To The Lions”, who wouldn’t think Die Hard as angry, human hating demons?
http://www.myspace.com/diehardthrash
(Agonia Records)
Rating: 6.0
