South America always stood first and foremost for the most vicious and rabid form of black/thrash.
But always the odd ones out, Chilean bands tend to twist the heavily codified formula, and Force Of Darkness, formed in 2002 in Santiago, are a case in point. Unlike other clearly retro compatriots such as Ammit, this lot have always leaned more towards the black than the thrash side anyway, and this new EP, released on vinyl earlier this year and now available on CD, is no exception. Of course, there are still flashes of early Sarcofago and classic Teutonic thrash, including some sudden high-pitched shrieks reminiscent of Destruction’s Schmier. And when his bass doesn’t violently take the wheel like a lion jumping out of its cage, the mysteriously named Nabucodonosor III spits out his blasphemous rasp at neckbreaking speed. But chaos prevails here, and by relying too much on the same tremolo riffing and relentless blasts, but without the right chops to counterbalance them, these 18 minutes feel like a fierce yet unproductive attempt at bloodshed.
Via Hell’s Headbangers
