out now: Archangel A.D. -- young thrash from Texas, USA

Archangel A.D.

Casus Belli

23 July 2021

Country music legends Alabama told us all a long time ago, "If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta a fiddle in the band," and that's wise, of course, but sometimes you gotta roll with the fact, indeed, "that lead guitar is hot," put the fiddle aside for a while and boogie down in a different way, like the Río Grande Valley boys Archangel A.D. do with the fast, riff-focused mosh pit mongers. It's possible that in 2015 when they began they were still in high school, judging from the old pictures from several years ago. In 2018 they kicked things off with an EP, and it was a celebration of fast, young U.S. traditional thrash: sharp guitars, speedy riffs flying right and left, scream/yell vocals, a rhythm section to kick start the heart, and shredding soloing. They have their heart in the right place, especially considering their youth. Here’s hoping they persist in their quest! They are young and perfecting their craft. They have a song called “Sangre de las montañas” (Blood of the Mountains) that stands out as a Spanish-language, lively, intense folk-flavored song, and it stands apart from their thrash. Archangel A.D. could make such things as an integral part of their thrash, not a separate “outside” component, and not shy away from adding more such elements to their thrash. When they figure out that their songs can fearlessly express all their ideas, not just the “pure” thrash ideas, they’re going to be even more interesting. Keep an eye on these young Texans. Their best works are ahead of them.

Casus Belli by Archangel A.D.