This is the first full length from this black/thrash band from Greece. This reminds me quite a lot of the early Witchery albums, back when Toxine was singing for them and they had a more classic thrash sound. Where they differ is that Detestial uses more traditional black metal riffs as the basis of their sound, rather than thrash. The thrash is an added level of intensity that is leaned into occasionally and not the core of the music. The black metal riffs here remind me of the best of the Norwegian scene, and specifically of Mayhem and Marduk. They have the same sort of intensity and evil feel. If there were more blastbeats, it would be even closer to traditional black metal, but they emphasize the use of thrash beats instead, which definitely sets them apart in a crowded scene. This band is incredibly tight, too, which only adds to the intense nature of their music. This is entirely worth the effort to track down, and fans of black metal and black thrash will not be disappointed.
