Truth Corroded - Upon the Warlords Crawl

Truth Corroded delivers a heavy metal pummeling from Down Under. The Australian extreme thrash band has unleashed its third collection of skull bashing, neck breaking, extreme thash metal upon an unsuspecting world. Upon the Warlords Crawl is a collection of heavy music that is poised to kick down your door and force you to pay attention. It is an experience that may remember in the short term, but it is hardly what one would call a completely memorable experience. However, do not get me wrong, as this is a very solid record that will remind you of the past while being firmly rooted in the present.

This extreme thrash band has elements not only of old school thrash but of modern bands as well. Think of a combination comprising of such influences as Slayer and Sepultura right up to the likes of DevilDriver, Chimaira and Lamb of God. Of course, they add in a healthy dose of their own style of brutality to freshen the mix. So, while they really do not make much of an effort to cover up their influences, they have enough of their own style to stand on their own as a force to be reckoned with.

The album gets off to a ripping start with the in your face thrash of "Crown the Apoclypse." The song takes about ten-seconds to get wound up, but then it is off to the races.The song is persistent, fast, and beats you into sbmission so that you stick around to see what else they have to offer. There is a certain DevilDriver-like quailty to the metronome precision of the double-bass and the aggressive speed that they deliver throughout the track (and many others for that matter).




There is no denying that Upon the Warlords Crawl is a solid album. It would be a lie to say that Truth Corroded is a talented band. You cannot say they do not write good songs. However, you can say they are not the most memorable out there. To me, they are on the cusp of excellence. They definitely have all of the tools needed to get there.

Truth Corroded excels when they step away from the pure thrash sound. Yes, this is their bread and butter and they do excel at it, but check out "Buried Alive by Demons" and "Despair Your Black Earth" and tell me those are not two of the best they have to offer on this album. I do not think you can, and if you do I think you need to listen to it a few more times.

Both of those songs see the band slowing things down a little while retaining their energy and aggression. They also stretch their scope beyond being just extreme thrash. The darker tones reveal a new side of the band and better shows off their songwriting skills. Now I would love t see them blend the sounds toether for a more epic feel on their next release.

Bottomline. Solid thrash with a bonus of a couple songs that stretch their boundaries. Overall, very good outing that hearkens back to some of thrashes early pioneers while forging ahead with a currently relevant thrash attack. This is a worthy album, just not a great one. Still, Truth Corroded is well worth keeping a sideways eye on.

Recommended.