dust bolt

(7/10) Anthrax wrote a song called "Caught in a Mosh" and I had to think about this track when I was listening to the new album of Dust Bolt. On the one hand the guys from Landsberg am Lech, Germany continue with their thrash-/crossover melange and their thirst full-length album strengthen their position as solid thrash band. But the four-piece band is also caught in the patterns of this style.

"Mass Confusion" includes eleven new songs that are primarily influenced by bands such as Suicidal Tendencies and Exodus. Like on the previous two records also "Mass Confusion" became a full-blast metal album that features tunes which are dynamic and powerful.

"Sick X Brain" is a short and uncompromising opener, "Blind to Art" is a slow starter that builds up to a thrasher with some Slayer-like riffs and also "Empty Faces" includes some references to 80's thrash with some well integrated mosh parts.

What's new on "Mass Confusion" is a confusing song. "Exit" is the very first Dust Bolt track that can be seen as a pure ballad. To my surprise the song does a pretty good job on the album since it enriches the variation and marks a well done break. Lenny is singing isntead of screaming and he actually does a pretty good job. While some other ballads drown in cliches, this one really rocks. There might be better ones, but this brave step of Dust Bolt demands all respect.

All in all Dust Bolt uses almost the entire playground offered by thrash/crossover and packaged it to a release that might not be totally mind-blowing, but it is solid and a true energizer that.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Sick X Brain
2. Mass Confusion
3. Allergy
4. Turned to Grey
5. Blind to Art
6. Mind the Gap
7. Exit
8. Empty Faces
9. Taking Your Last Breath
10. Portraits of Decay
11. Masters of War

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Thrash Metal

Release Date EU: July 8th, 2016

(7/10) German thrashers Dust Bolt are back with a new album. They proof again that there is more than Lederhosen and Volksmusik in Bavaria. What you get with "Awake the riot" are in total 12 thrash anthems with a total running time from almost an hour.

As with the debut Dust Bolt sticks to their style. The focus is on oldschool thrash metal. This is maybe not very innovative, but it sounds very good.

The opener sets already the scene for the album. "Living hell" offers fast guitar riffs which could be also from Bay Area legends like Slayer. Or listen to the scream of the next tune "Soul erazor". Tom Araya couldn't do it better. Another highspeed tune is "Agent thrash". The title track is a real highlight on the album. Based on heavy guitars riffs and leads the song hammers out of the speakers. Some parts also reflect the east coast metal from bands like Nuclear Assault. So it's oldschool in the broadest meaning of the word. Well done . But Dust Bolt can also reduce the speed. "The monotonous - distant scream" is one of those moments. It's together with the close "Future shock" one of the longest tracks on the "Awake the riot". Starting with accoustic guitars only the song builds up to a Metallica-style rocker with a furious middlepart. Interesting are also the hoarse vocals from singer Lenny B. which are sometimes pretty extreme.You just hope that the guy doesn't loose his voice.

The music of Dust Bolt is, based on all the mentioned issues, not really new. You have the feeling, that you have heard everything already earlier from other bands.

But what I like with the album is the straight forward thrash metal, which reminds to bands like Kreator and Sodom. It's young and fresh on one side and traditional on the other. And Dust Bolt plays their songs with a lot of passion, which is remarkable too.

All in all an exciting metal album which is worth to check out.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Living hell
2. Soul erazor
3. Beneath the earth
4. You lost sight
5. Agent thrash
6. Living a lie
7. Awake the riot - The final war
8. Eternal waste
9. Drowned in blind faith
10. Worlds built to deceive
11. The monotonous - Distant scream
12. Future shock

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Thrash Metal