Tuesday 30 April 2013

Blood Tsunami - For Faen (Album Review)



Album Type : Full Length
Date Released : 8/3/2013
Label : Indie Recordings

For Faen, album track listing:
1. The Butcher Of Rostov
2. Dogfed
3. The Rape Of Nanking
4. In The Dungeon Of The Rats
5. Metal Fang
6. The Brazen Bull
7. Grave Desecrator
8. Unholy Knights
9. D.T.K.
10. Krokodil

Bio:
The crimson tide rise again! And this time it comes across as more ferocious and devastating than ever before! Blood Tsunami's new album "For Faen" shows a band that has stripped their metal to the bone. Harder, meaner, dirtier and way more aggressive! This album is a relentless sonic beating. The songs are thrown at you, one by one, with an infernal speed that threathens to rip off chunks of flesh from your whole upper body. Rampant dogs is jumping out of your loudspeakers, daggers and bullets comes at you like a wall of horizontal rain. This is metal the way it was meant to be. Totally vicious and utterly dangerous!
 
"For Faen!" What the hell does that mean? Well, it is Norwegian! "Faen" is probably the most frequently used word in Norway and directly translated it means "Devil". It can also be used the same way as "Fuck" in English. "For Faen", directly translated, gives us the title "For The Devil" but it also means "For Fuck's Sake". Not bad you say? Well, it's Blood Tsunami for Fuck's sake!

"For Faen" is a monster of an album that will break your legs off by the knee and use them to beat the skull straight off your spine. You are in for some sickening tales from the dark side of humanity. Grotesque stories about some of the worlds worst serial killers, detailed information about horrendous ancient torture methods, war crimes, mass murder and chemicals, addiction and rotten human skin. It's all in there... 

Review:

Blood Tsunami are back, baby! Thrashing around like a radioactive shark in Norwegian waters. Their latest slab of evil intentions is called 'For Faen', and the good people at their native Indie Recordings are guilty of exposing us all to this. Kind souls, those lot. Let's rage!

So as it goes in typical Tsunami fashion the whole thing is just pure face melting, shredding badassery. It's like dragging the best things about the 80s metal scene kicking and screaming into the future light. And then pouring petrol on it. And setting a grenade off right next to it. Fire and excess is the general aim here.

'The Butcher of Rostov' starts things off in fine fashion, hyper speed guitars and chainsaw noise, all accentuated by drums from the depths of hell. It's so fast at times it's like a laser battle is happening just behind your eyes. The whole thing is an absolute fucking riot.

'The Rape of Nanking' may well be charming enough to remove the paint from the walls and the birds from the trees, but it's also a real pedigree ripper. Slayer vibes echo throughout, like back in the early days when they were at their peak. And their most violent. This is so aggressive it probably has a restraining order in place against it.

'Metal Fang' screams bloody murder and then commits it upon your ears. Circle pits are a certainty, especially when the track slows into a perfectly timed groove at the mid-point to slam to. The solo at the end will finish off what's left of your brain, after liquefying it in your skull. Sorry bro, can't tip my head too much - got liquefied brain syndrome. True story.

'B.T.K.' has a filthier vibe surrounding it (the fact that it's about a serial killer helps), a dirty, punkier jam with no less impact or sharp corners to be concerned about. Tremendous.

The album closes in impressive and final fashion with 'Krokodil', an audio kick in the teeth that doesn't play well with others. Terrific soloing guitars and more lightning thrash drums, replete with chugging, glorious riffs towards the close. It's the soundtrack to rebellion, before it was cool to have a soundtrack to rebellion.

I love this album. Perfect for slamming an ice cold beer to, along with your head. The best aspects of the heyday of 80s thrash, without a 'throwback' feel to it. That's all very well and good, but this feels legit, and it only benefits the more from it. Check out 'For Faen' immediately.

Words by : Matt Fitton

As ever, show your support to the band by checking them out at the various links and buying their merch.  This record is available now on Indie Recordings. Thanks to Andy @ Indie for hooking us up with the record for review!