War Without End

Century Media (2008)

By Facemelter

Looking at the cover of this thing takes you back to a time when Sodom, Candlemass and Kreator were all NEW bands. Picture a semi-cheesy (but nonetheless cool) logo and plenty of skulls being crushed by a tank dripping with blood back-dropped by hellfire and well,...hell. Bring it,...uh,...ON! I'm glad this revival to be honest. This L.A. band is not alone in the retro thrash revival and not old either. No one in Warbringer is over 22 yet they sound like they were raised on Exodus' "Bonded By Blood". Truth is, their parents were. Thank Christ (and Slayer) for cool parents.

I'll have you know that this is my first official review for badtastemusic.com. Although I'm no rookie in the album review scene, I WILL say that as Warbringer rumbled from my garage of refuge and I drank a luscious Jubilale Winter Ale (OR.), I found myself pissing a pentagram in the Alaska snow.
 

Evil? Perhaps not,...but Evil Dickie, here we go. Track one, "Total War" is urgent, intense, retro and tight. Kinda like Slayer Jr. These kids can play, no doubt. There's definitely a hardcore/thrash crossover thing going on. The writing is exquisite if you like your guitar solos flurried over menacing riffs and if you like a 'bit of blood in you beer. "Systematic Genocide" has a classic metal feel with a Mille (Kreator) vocal style and single riff that eventually starts hammering away into a thrash 'til death modicum. It's hard to get bored with this album. The hooks, bridges and riffs are all contagious with just a splash of technology to keep it interesting and remind you what year it is. "Hell On Earth" is all teeth gritting, mosh pitting shit. By the time track five, "At The Gates Of Doom" rumbles through the speakers, I can see the hair flying 'ala Cannibal Corpse, although more denim vest than long sleeve black shirt.

I did get a little bored during the second half of the album even though the vocal style did seem to fluctuate a bit more than the first half which was not as varied. The double bass drum hammering does get a little stale as well. Bottom line though is this; the minimal effects are used appropriately, the production is pristinely raw which makes one think of D.R.I. and S.O.D. and above all, truthfully, Warbringer brings a melodicism to metal sorely missing in much of today's metal-core. If you dig old Testament and Anthrax and have an affection for Death, Believer and Kreator, then you'll be whip-lashing yourself into a frenzy with this fucker. Thrash 'til death! Or at least 'til you run outta pee bee ahh..

and another review by Mark Visco

First off -  if you like Slayer, you’ll like Warbringer, and if you like thrash metal (who doesn’t), then you’ll LOVE Warbringer. They’ve been around for about 4 years, and War Without End is their first official studio album (they’ve released an EP and two demos in the past). Picture this, if Slayer and 1980’s Metallica had a child, it would be Warbringer. They’re thrash metal through and through and this album displays that very very well.

They open the album with air raid sirens and sounds of chaos, perhaps preparing the listener for this forty minute head-banging extravaganza. I don’t know what's in the water in Warbringer's hometown of Ventura California, but these dudes are angry. With brutal vocals and lyrics like "Time to die….time to end your life" and screaming "no one left to kill", you cant help but feel the intensity of this album. Adam Carroll and John Laux shred their way through War Without End while Ryan Bates slams on his drum kit. They end the album with an untitled track that starts off with a minute of silence, then breaks into a slow and melodic instrumental that slowly raises the intensity until its full on speed and thrash metal, summing up the whole album and journey of this new CD.

From beginning to end, from the first solo to the last, War Without End is pure 1980’s thrash with a new twist. With so little genuine and "old school" sounding thrash metal bands around, Warbringer shines as a new band with a lot to offer. Every metal fan should go out and get War Without End and enjoy it.