Album Review: Death Angel – Humanicide (Nuclear Blast)

Ascending from the depths, the almighty Death Angel return to offer their latest, energy fuelled masterpiece: “Humanicide”. A return to the wolves alongside a survivalist pack mentality are what fuel the powerful themes erupting from these fresh metal anthems. In a modern capitalist society where selfishness reigns and communal help and survival are things of the past, Death Angel produces sounds and symbols that point out the truths of attempting to exist safely in the present day.

The title itself describes a plain in which humans, after generations of violence, regression, and hate, have finally extinguished themselves into dust. The wasteland they left behind is populated only by those creatures that passionately depend on their pack for survival: the wolves. Gnashing their teeth and struggling to survive in an abandoned world, the wolves are back and galloping fiercely across the cover of the album. Adorned in the war skins of their enemies and the creatures they’ve killed together in order to survive, the powerful messages of the songs can be seen in Brent Elliott White’s fantastic piece of art.

Humanicide is out on May 31st 2019 via Nuclear Blast.

Sometimes it’s up to some legends to show the new blood just how it’s done. Death Angel’s new album is the veterans proving that they have plenty still to offer the thrash metal world. With Humanicide they showcase their familiar yet accessible brand of hefty riffs, thrash pace and guttering heaviness and its so very good.

The title track opens things up and what a start it is. Moving at an incredible pace, Death Angel lay the marker down very early on with a showcase of crushing heaviness that is powerful enough to turn the most placid listener into a foaming and raging beast.

It’s up to Divine Defector and Aggressor to follow that and it’s a strong effort from both. The former pushing the vocals to even harsher levels while the rhythm tears away and the latter has a more agonising focus on firing out at speed. The equivalent of being shot over and over again with Death Angel’s riffy bullets.

Whereas Aggressor showed off some depth, I Came for Blood is a bit more ‘traditional’ Death Angel. Galloping guitars, a drum beat that is near perfectly in tune with everything else and a fiery vocal performance. Death Angel then takes their foot off the gas a little for the more traditional classic metal sounding Immortal Behated. The cleaner singing, main riff and piano outro certainly mark this one out as different.

It’s not long though until the aggressive heaviness and speed comes back for the roaring Alive and Screaming. A personal favourite, there is some extra bite to the drums here and a brief but effective solo makes the eyes water.

It continues to stay strong as The Pack has *ahem* a pack mentality conjuring up images of wild animals moving at once through the darkness to hunt their prey. Ghost of Me is out and out thrash that will get the head banging and Revelation Song kicks of with a serious groovy riff before turning up the heat with a thrilling guitar solo.

An absolute belter of a record ends as it begun with fury and speed in Of Rats and Men. Thrash has never sounded so good.

Death Angel – Humanicide Full Track Listing:

1. Humanicide
2. Divine Defector
3. Aggressor
4. I Came For Blood
5. Immortal Behated
6. Alive and Screaming
7. The Pack
8. Ghost of Me
9. Revelation Song
10. Of Rats and Men

The album can be ordered now here and will be available via all major outlets on release.