DEATH ANGEL – Relentless Revolution

Two years following Death Angel’s average Killing Season, the veteran, yet quite youthful sounding band from San Francisco, returns with an energetic album bearing the sign of old school Bay Area Thrash. However, as on most of their past releases, Death Angel presented Thrash in a more or less different way than other bands in their local California scene. Implementing elements of hard-beating Heavy Metal and even some variances of Hard Rock may trigger the interest of others who wish to step out of the regular Thrash can, not that this can is unwelcoming, of course.

On their new album, Relentless Revolution, dragging a powerful title and well done old school artwork, Death Angel worked with the modern US brainstorm of a producer, Jason Suecof (yeah, it’s the guitarist of Charred Walls Of The Damned), who also took a small solo role on one of the songs. The production work on this album is flat out flawless — it really sounds like an old school Thrash blaster, although it has its modern touches. Even though many bands of Death Angel’s caliber and stature implement those modern elements, in this case it went solely to their benefit. Their strong sound from The Art Of Dying was kept and made a lot fuller than before. As a suggestion for the next album, Suecof should be their man again.

In comparison to the Killing Season album, Death Angel did a lot better by creating stronger material in hyper drive. With their Metal diversity, Relentless Revolution turned out to be stronger and fiercer than their other albums, besides their flagship The Art Of Dying, which is still serving as the band’s great comeback album. However, with the band’s intensity and their bond with old habits, this is still not the best they can do. Strapping thrashers such as “True”, “Relentless Revolution”, “This Hate”, and “Death To The Meek” can be included in the band’s diversity regime, yet, in a way, come across as obscure. Exampled hybrids such as “Volcanic”, “Claws In So Deep”, “River Of Rapture”, and “Absence Of Light” have their advantage and show Death Angel in a different light, (as the band tried on their last two albums) yet you can’t compare those to the band’s true nature of the late 80s.

Musically, Death Angel progressed since their 80s and early 90s era, and with the only original members as vocalist Osegueda and guitarist Cavestany, present their worthiness in another good release, although there is a feeling that their best is yet to come.

Lineup

Mark Osegueda – Vocals
Ted Aguilar – Guitar
Rob Cavestany – Guitar
Damien Sisson – Bass
Will Carroll – Drums