Bred from an open passion for old school thrash metal, To The Early Grave the debut album from Finnish metallers Aratic takes no time in barging the listener onto a bruising and riotous ride of ravenous riffs, squalling vocals, and hook loaded grooves which wrap around the senses and passions like a sonic python. The release is honest and proud in its declaration of its inspiration with the thoughts of Venom, Slayer, and Exodus unavoidable as the quartet from Pori chews up the ear with accomplished and ridiculously addictive sounds. Admittedly there is nothing new being unleashed or even skirted but for unbridled destructive pleasure and incendiary passion igniting enterprise you will not be left hungry by this uncompromising confrontation.
Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Henri Virolainen, bassist Antti Hurmerinta, guitarist Teemu Täckman, and Mika Uusivirta on drums, Aratic leap on the ear from the first note of opener Residents Of Evil and does not resist and show mercy right through to its final punch on the senses with the closing title track. As the first song stomps with belligerent riffs and quarrelsome vocals you know exactly what the band offers and will provide across the album, the track a fury of caustic energy and spiteful intensity framed by malevolent rhythms crafted and unleashed by Uusivirta. Though the song feeds expectations it equally takes small but pleasing adventurous side tracks within its charge, a hardcore edge adding extra fire to the verbal assault and guitars teasing with devious grooves away from the core temptation.
The strong start continues with Satan’s Witnesses and the excellent I Am The Night, the first another in the face altercation 
cast by exhausting riffs and vocal searing whilst its successor raises the game of the album with hungry rhythms amongst niggling sonic persuasion clad in toxic grooves which lead the passions into a greedier appetite. There is a punk grazing to the vocals which leads to whispers of Municipal Waste and Suicidal Tendencies, though the song is firmly entrenched in the seeds of bands like those we mentioned previously, and with a sudden brief guttural expulsion there is equally an extra vapour of death metal to the imagination.
The best song, and easily the top scrap on the album, comes next in the epidemically infectious Ninth Gate. Rife with insidiously addictive grooves and blistering sonic tempests of energy the track stands astride the senses and chews their skin with carnivorous intensity and corrosive drenched rhythmic teeth, It is a violently persuasive thrill which captures imagination and heart, a tempestuous agitator crafted with skill and vitriolic enterprise.
Through the likes of Destructing The Light, Shrooms, and Lobotomy Christianus, the band keep the grievous please coming with strength and raging aggression, and though the tracks pale a little behind the might of the likes of Ninth Gate, there is a heightened need to devour their individual conflicts earned. The first of the three ignites another belt of voraciousness through its impressive sonic solo and rapacious appetite, and the following two with predatory and intensive riff guided gnawing and blackened rapacity respectively. There is very little to temper the enthusiasm for the weaponry raised by the album and even though originality takes a step back on the album such the rich satisfaction and thrill ignited by songs and release the issue does not ride any thought at any point during its potent company.
With the title track offering a final brutal treat, To The Early Grave is a thoroughly enjoyable and breath-taking slab of primal compulsion. Aratic has provided an introduction which will undoubtedly and deservedly find a home with all thrash fans especially those also inspired by the origins of the genre.
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8.5/10
RingMaster 14/06/2013
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sonic maelstrom of carnivorous hunger which the senses have to take a firm grip to stand tall in the face of. Once the opening strike has settled the band unleash a barrage of merciless destruction through the drums of M. Huisko, co-instigator bassist S. Parviainen growling with equal rabidity. It is prime thrash with the rapacious riffing from guitarists K. Laanto and A. Paasu as exhausting as it is enterprising in its unfussy but greedy barrage. The band’s influences such as Slayer, Testament, and Exodus are certainly more than strong breezes within the rampant fury working on the senses adding to an invention which is not unique but wholly captivating from Unhoped.
on a furnace of insatiable riffs and heavy handed rhythms wrapped in a sonic enterprise which twists its skilled creativity around the assault. Opening track of the Mausoleum Records released album, Temples of Ice, originally from the album of the same name, swaggers in with an expressive groove wrapping plundering of rhythms and a predatory atmosphere. Once Dolan unleashes his scowling tones upon the song the track surges with a thrash crafted hunger through to the senses, its switching gait as infectious as the melodic flames searing the ear from the guitars. It is a strong and enjoyable track which like all the subsequent re-inventions makes a valid declaration for their intent and presence.
Warfare is a carnivorous track, the bass of Jakshić offering the grimmest wonderful growl to a predator of a track driven by greedy intense riffs and bone spanking rhythms. It is a straight forward but wholly contagious onslaught with hardcore venom to its thrash lit heart, bringing thoughts of classic East Area bands to mind. Unrelenting and savage in its breath the track is a sub three minute explosion of concentrated thrash with no thoughts to be anything other than what it is. It alone openly marks the growth of the band as though it has not been changed much as such there is a more accomplished and confident prowl to its presence.
escapes through melodic flumes of sonic beauty and carefully crafted inviting malevolence. It is an unbridled flight of intensive energy with imaginative guitar persuasion playing at will upon the irresistible onslaught. Immediately the track lays a deep rooted lure within the listener which seduces and increases all album long, and is an open declaration of the skill and invention of Milojica.
Soon joined by ravenous riffs and keen acidic sonics from the guitars, the track slaughters the ear with crisp rhythms and rabid energy for an instantaneous rewarding confrontation. The vocals of Ayerst brawl with impressive craft and expressive passion to add to the already in place intrigue and pleasure, and as grooves and hooks tease and entwine the energy the track needs to make no more persuasion as to its impressive stance and purpose. But impress further it does with great melodic flames from Chamberlain and a raptorial menacing prowl to the bass of Robins. The song has a familiarity to it which for sure is a consequent of the band playing with existing essences but it also makes it an immediate best friend for the heart, as with the whole release. The fact that the band conjure these already in place endeavours into their own creative rampancy does the release or the massive enjoyment no harm either of course.
atmosphere of impending shadows and energy before letting loose a riot of ear grasping riffs and bone snapping rhythms. Immediately grasping attention from its lazy stance the song begins to work its sonic alchemy on the senses with a tight serpentine groove with licking sonic flames surging around it and the impressive vocals of Bssrt. Coarse, clean, squalling, his delivery alongside impressive backing elsewhere ignores boundaries and definition to ravage like the varied sounds but all is rich in skill and stunning creativity. It is an impressive and pulse racing start easily matched by the following title track. DarknessDevilDeath is a bruising course of thrash and hardcore speared by scintillating spikes of classic and melodic extreme metal with vocals again rich in variety to inspire further impressed passion. At times the rhythms threatened to fall into chaotic disorder but the band hold a tight enough rein to let their randomness intrigue and leave the listener lost in thought and satisfaction.
in 2012 and then set about searching for a label which emerged as Indie Recordings who put out the Mongo Ninja albums. For Faen meaning Devil, though it is also used in Norwegian in the same way fuck is used in English (so the title could mean For The Devil or For Fuck’s Sake), takes no prisoners from first violent note to last, offering an unrelenting siege upon the senses with equally compelling rewards. Previously the band drew on melodic Swedish influences and NWOBHM riffs for their more progressive creativity but now have moved to short biting song structures and a punk snarl to leave a much longer lasting and potent effect in the shorter violent songs.
