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KILLING SEASON IS A HIGH ENERGY, CATCHY SUCCESS

By Rich Gurnsey for the Technician and TechnicianOnline.com
Published: March 13, 2008

Death Angel, along with bands such as Exodus and Metallica, helped define the thrash-metal sound in the late 1980s. But four years after releasing their influential debut album, The Ultra-Violence, the band broke up and did not return to the studio for more than a decade.

The band's comeback album, 2004's The Art of Dying, though exciting, quality thrash, seems lukewarm compared to their newest work, Killing Season, which finds the band fully rejuvenated and at its very best.

Killing Season is non-stop, aggressive fun from beginning to end. Full of catchy and diverse songs and tons of energy, this is one of those albums that seems to take up residence in the CD player for weeks at a time. It has all of the thrashy characteristics of Death Angel's previous work, yet it doesn't feel stale. This is due in part to producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver), who helps give the music a clearer, more modern sound.

Time has also been kind to Death Angel's individual members. For example, vocalist Mark Osegueda has a much better command over his voice than he did when he was in his twenties. His vocals are much cleaner, yet still full of anger and attitude. Guitarist Rob Cavestany's shredding remains powerful, and provides the album with plenty of heavy riffs and face-melting solos.

Standout tracks include the opener, "Lord of Hate," which begins with an acoustic intro that gives way to intense riffs and angry screams and a chorus that will linger long after headphones have been removed. The politically charged, angry-as-hell "When Worlds Collide" is incredibly catchy, and sure to inspire scream-alongs. The album's longest track, "Resurrection Machine," is also its finale; it's rife with melody and tempo changes, and even the occasional acoustic guitar.

We are lucky to be in the middle of a thrash-metal revival: new thrash acts are picking up the torch and older thrash stalwarts are resurfacing. In a time when copycat bands are popping
up on a seemingly daily basis, it's refreshing to hear new music from thrash pioneers who
have grown wiser over the years and aren't simply delivering carbon copies of their older material. Killing Season is a great album for old-school and new thrashers alike. Let the head-banging begin.