Album Review: Bushido Code – The Ronin (Upstate Records)

With roots that go deep into the Pennsylvannia hardcore scene, Bushido Code formed in 2017, and as so many great bands are, were born out of the primordial ooze of their local scene.

Bushido Code chose a samurai inspired moniker to reflect their own personal values of being fearless and driven by their goals to achieve the highest degrees of sacrifice for what they believe in and are dedicated to. With their first two releases, The Dying Virtues: Volume 1+2 the band was able to lay out their vision of a crossover thrash sound that unapologetically goes for the throat.

Now, Bushido Code is gearing up to release a brand new album, The Ronin, through Upstate Records and Blood Blast Distribution on April 16th 2021. The Ronin uses skull cracking thrash metal to tell the story of Da Shi, a Ronin Samurai who has travelled through time, looking for a warrior worthy enough to help him achieve the most honourable sacrifice, death. However, no demon or saint has been worthy enough yet.

Mixing old-school death metal heart with thrash metal spirit and warping it with one hell of an epic level of story-telling. Bushido Code are a unique bunch even if, once they get going, their level of brutal heaviness will be very familiar to those with a taste for bone-breaking noise.

Familiar but no less exciting. The gargantuan and crunchy head-banger that is the title track. The thumping and filthy groove of Aftermath that puts scowls on faces through the sheer power of the riffs and Stench of Cowards Rot races along at a feverish pace.

Sore neck yet? Give it time. Relic of War is a chunky and pissed off sounding number offset by the cold and empty melodies of Prelude to Battle. Which serves as an excellent intro to the thumping fury of 1600. The group vocals are so damn powerful, the pure quality of the riffs and the thickness of the percussion is the shit heavy metal dreams are made of.

No change to a winning formula; Harvest has a manic pace, Loyalty pushes the neck-breaking riffs to the limit and Benevolence ends things in thrashing fashion. A thumping set of tracks to end things on.

Bushido Code’s The Ronin is an album you’ll find yourself going back to time and time again this year. Such is the outstanding quality and plentifulness of the riffs, the meatiness of the drums and bass, and the savagery of the vocals.

Bushido Code – The Ronin Full Track Listing:

1. The Ronin
2. Aftermath
3. Stench of Cowards Rot
4. Relic of War
5. Prelude to Battle
6. 1600
7. Harvest
8. Loyalty
9. Benevolence

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