Album Review: Acid Mass – Worship (Morbid And Miserable Records / Motorpunk Records / Vicious Witch Records)

Filthy heavy metal rules our lives, and so it’s time for Worship! Acid Mass has already pummeled our ears with the debut album, ‘Agonizer’, as well as the’ Lust for Violence’ and ‘Upon the Knife’ EPs, but now it’s time to double down on debauchery! The band is now introducing the second and even more depraved full-length album entitled ‘Worship’.

An album that sees one-man wrecking crew Ben Ricketts joined by a crust-coated cast of degenerate guest musicians from the twisted minds behind Wraith, Savage Master, Hellripper, and Faithxtractor. Morbid And Miserable Records has teamed up with Vicious Witch Records and Motorpunk Records to get this obscene sound into as many speakers as possible on August 2nd, 2024.

Turning the clock back to a time when thrash had a more primordial edge and the sound was designed to be uglier and harsher on the ears. Acid Mass’ Worship is not a lovable listen, thanks mainly to a rawness that is saturated throughout the whole thing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyably frenzied and furious.

Ben Ricketts knows exactly how to capture, not just an old-school thrash sound, but one rooted in darker themes and with a leaning towards some death-infused wickedness. Coming out hot and heavy with a series of riffy head bangers, Acid Mass sets the bar at a high place with horn-throwing and chest-beating numbers like The Mouth of Hell, War Machine, Nuclear Exorcism, and Stench of Death. If, after hearing these raucous efforts, you’re not convinced, then this album probably isn’t going to be for you.

Especially as the latter half is where the guests start to arrive, bringing with them even more thrashy energy, even more metal mischievousness, and even more abrasive anger and intensity. Matt Sokol of Wraith helping Hell from Above be a serious blast of groovy heaviness and Nicholas Burks of Savage Master helping Inferno Queen be a heart-racing, punk-infused slice of mania.

Around those tracks is Final Surrender and the title track, with the former being one of the nastier efforts as far as speed goes, and the latter having bundles of vitality to ensure the strengths of this album, namely the emphatic thrashy heaviness, is always front and centre. The biggest track of all though? It’s Return to Shadow Moses and not just for the Metal Gear reference. No, it’s the biggest track because it has some epic riffs, malevolent pace, and features two stellar guests, namely Ash Thomas of Faithxtractor & James McBain of Hellripper.

An uncouth, but delightful, example of everything Acid Mass is, leading to a slow and seedy sounding finale called Dying Breath. This is Acid Mass at its most evil sounding and the mid-point switch in style just makes it sound even more dangerous. Banging stuff.

Acid Mass – Worship Track Listing:

1. The Mouth of Hell
2. War Machine
3. Nuclear Exorcism
4. Stench Of Death
5. Hell From Above (featuring Matt Sokol of Wraith)
6. Final Surrender
7. Inferno Queen (featuring Nicholas Burks of Savage Master)
8. Worship
9. Return To Shadow Moses (featuring Ash Thomas of Faithxtractor & James McBain of Hellripper)
10. Dying Breath

Links

LinkTree | Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Morbid And Miserable Records