Nadir Music (2011)

Italian thrash quartet who’ve been refining their craft since the summer of 2007. After a couple of lineup changes and gathering their live foothold opening for artists like Dew-Scented and Torture Squad among others, the new label Nadir Music signed Black Propaganda and here we have the debut full length in our hands. After a brief intro entitled “Punishers Of No One Sin”, the fervent blast beat assault of “Hit The Mass” quickly descends into a conventional uppity thrash tempo, broken up by some clear cut Slayer-esque pit riffs. At other times the guitar and drum work has a dual punk/ thrash feel- along with the modern Phil Anselmo-like vocal inflections emanating from Mr. X on cuts like “Craving” and “About Me”.

Black Propaganda mix up the proceedings with atmospheric, almost sullen bridge parts at times, but you sense that the band members have an equal love for early 90’s death metal as much as they live for 80’s thrash. As much as Slayer and Sepultura factor into the 9 main songs, so do Entombed, Carcass, Pantera and even a touch of the heavier side of Fear Factory. The solo style of Ian Binetti isn’t one that will win shredding awards- it’s more of a scattershot, squeal, fast licks and run mode that could deter some who look for this aspect in their thrash music.

The closing 11:39 title track runs the gamut from militant march riffs to conventional staccato groove with the intermittent thrash/death blasting from drummer Eric Di Donato to break up the proceedings. Overall, this isn’t the worst thrash band from Italy- but I do think that they may struggle to gain a particular audience as they attempt to combine to many diverse elements in their sound. Place in the wait and see category.

www.blackpropagandametal.com
www.nadirmusic.net

Rating: 3.5 / 6

Composed by Matt Coe