Album Review: Crossfire – Switch To Reset (Wormholedeath Records)

Dublin, Ireland thrashers Crossfire will release their new album ‘Switch to Reset’ on December 15th, 2023, via Wormholedeath Records. The four-piece blend sci-fi and horror lyricism with their relentless, neck-snapping thrash, which pays homage to the golden age of the genre.

Heavy freaking metal! Crossfire go hard, and it is freaking delightful. Showcasing a frenzied old-school thrash sound with modernised progressive touches, ensuring Switch to Reset is something everyone will be head banging too for many months to come. When it’s thrash this good, how could you not?

It’s a ruthless assault of heavy that greets listeners with the opening title track. Crossfire getting off to a very hot start and delivering a hefty and hearty expulsion of thrash noise. Crack out that dusty and dirty denim, dig around in the attic for that lost bullet belt, and let the hair down, it’s thrash as we all know and love it.

The blood should be pumping loudly in veins now, and Book of the Dead is only going to increase that pressure as the vigorous energy hits an even greater high. The speed of the instrumentation is eye-watering stuff, and the vocals are particularly garish sounding here. Then Lost All Control arrives with a mighty big bang as Crossfire let the drums and bass do a lot of the heavy lifting. Although don’t think for a second that it doesn’t have roaring riffs. Many might get some early Metallica vibes from this track too. One of the strongest head bangers of all.

What’s really interesting is that Crossfire don’t do short tracks and each effort is a hefty and expansive trawl through the best of what thrash can offer. Case in point, the eight-minute beast that is Who Goes There? Which sees Crossfire spewing out some real heavy and fast intensity. The pit will seriously go off when this one is played live, although it’s going to leave a lot of people feeling well and truly exhausted afterwards.

There’s no time to take a breather though, Coercion comes with lovable forceful speed and thick thrash weight. Followed by the excellent Turned to Stone. A track that has ear-bleeding riffs, meaty bass hooks, drums that are capable of breaking bones, and vocals that flay skin from flesh, resulting in something that is surprisingly anthemic.

Then there is Guns for Hire, a brash blend of tempos that keeps this album feeling fresh as it reaches its latter stages. A freshness that ensures a near 11-minute finale isn’t daunting in the slightest. A finale called Prometheus, and a finale that deserves to be called an epic. A thrash metal epic, and one that sees Crossfire throwing their absolute all into delivering an unforgettable finish. Heads will be banged, horns will be thrown, and the sweat will fly. Crossfire are on course to be seen as one of the modern thrash greats, and anyone who gives this album a listen, will certainly agree with that statement.

Crossfire – Switch To Reset Track Listing:

1. Switch To Reset
2. Book Of The Dead
3. Lost All Control
4. Who Goes There?
5. Coercion
6. Turned To Stone
7. Guns For Hire
8. Prometheus

Links

Spotify | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Wormholedeath Records