ARKAYIC REVOLT – Undead Man Walking

Thrash Metal, when looking back through the history pages of the last 20 years, was the “Arkayic”, old, “Revolt” against Glam Metal in the US. It stood against everything that the colorful silky, smooth Glam nation presented. It is unknown if this Canadian group, from the Thrash / Speed state of Ontario, thought about that idea, if not it is still a rather good history lesson.

Arkayic Revolt are a fairly new, being formed last year, Old School Thrash Metal act that produce their Thrash in the veins of early Metallica, Exodus and Testament. Of course, you can add more to the list but these are the main acts that come to mind. Undead Man Walking is one more player in the new revival plan of Old School Thrash Metal, a course which has been under development since 2000. Following the giant charging wave of Thrash Metal from the US, the Canadian Thrash Metal scene didn’t stay far behind and raised its own new Thrash Metal bands, delivering the preaching of “Old School Or No School”.

This new EP, by the Arkayics came forth pretty fast for a young band that just started its journey, their eagerness and determination to create and release was high enough to unleash this baby.

Undead Man Walking , unlike many debuts from bands this young, has a big explosive production , which makes it almost the same quality as the production of the big boys of Thrash Metal.

Regarding their music, there is nothing to be surprised about or to be astonished from, yet they created a quantity of songs, which will blow you away like: “Maniacal Infestation”, which also appeared on W.Y.AT, the self titled track, “Overthrow” and “Tread The Blade”. These tracks present pure Thrash Metal in its finest moments: The vocals are purely derived from James Hetfield of Metallica, its indefinite if it was an intentional mean or not, yet it sounds good and even brutal sometimes. The riffs are destructive and heavy as hell with the newly found Thrash tuning of drop D guitars , the solos are Metallica influenced , you can perceive the same in the instrumentals , yet they don’t live up to any sort of expectations.

Something bothersome is the last track, “Immortal Vision”. This track, unlike the ones prior to it, does not seem to fit this release or any of the band’s songs on the album. It sounds like a modern type of Metalcore or something that definitely does not sound like the Thrash Metal the Arkayics try to present here. Moreover, it is too long and the rhythm in the middle of it is tiresome. The one thing that serves this one right is its chorus, nothing more than that – the chorus itself does not have the Old School vibe in it, yet it’s quite enjoyable.

Whether you like Metallica or Exodus or Testament or if you are fond of them all , this band is for you. Check these guys out, you never know if they will be landing a full-length soon.