It has been a fair while since we have heard from Czech thrashers Sixth Dimension and time which has seen the band go through a few changes but now they have returned to accost attention with a new EP and a quartet of tracks which we have no reserve in saying are their finest yet.
Based within Most and Teplice, Sixth Dimension emerged in 2002 and swiftly made a strong mark on the local and in turn national metal scene. A quartet of EPs has pushed their presence and reputation further afield with the last pair of Přežít! and Trauma firmly nudging on richer and broader spotlights. Four years after the release of the latter the band is back, now a quartet and with fresh aggressive fertility in their sound and songwriting, it all encapsulated within their striking attention demanding new EP, Tabula Rasa.
Tabula Rasa opens up with Vztek (Rage) and a barrage of barbarous but defined rhythms from drummer Buchy, his heady beats banging on the door of the senses and attention before being joined by a tide of riffs and the heavy grumble of Jenda’s bass. Quickly the bassist’s vocals spring their antipathy and magnetism into the assault, the guitars of Bombo and Špirda continuing to entrap and arouse with voracious riffs and grooves. There has always been a raw feral breath to the band’s thrash metal confrontations and the first song of the EP alone shows it has lost none of its potency even as craft and imagination in songwriting and sound has further grown.
The striking start to the release is only accentuated by next up Soudy (Judgments) and this time riffs from Jenda’s bass ignite ears alongside the bone shaking rapier swings of Buchy. It is another compelling start to a track that only brews greater animosity and temptation as guitars and vocals bring their accusation and dispute. As with the first song there is a richer metal spicing to the band’s individual thrash bred creativity, a composed and skilfully crafted enterprise which already sets the Tabula Rasa apart.
Inspired by the poem Der Ackermann aus Böhmen (Ploughman of Bohemia) by Johannes von Tepl dated 1401 A.D., …A Smrt (…and the Death) is a ravenous indeed malicious affair in heart and attack. Rhythms fly with voracious intent as riffs and grooves sear the senses, Jenda’s tones and indeed the backing calls of the band as spiteful as they are anthemic. Even so the melodic design of the song is raw seduction, the irritability of the track fuelling its nagging before the EP closes out with Závist Navzdory (Despite the Envy (A history of estrangement and dream)), a track which itself is inspired by the literary world, in this case by a book by Z.Kalista on Albrecht von Wallenstein.
The most turbulent and tempestuously hostile track on the release, it also springs some of the most infectious grooves amidst addictive sonic temptation. From start to finish the song defiled and inflamed the ears and appetite, a habit forming assail on the senses which pretty much sums up Tabula Rasa as a whole.
As we said it has been a while since Sixth Dimension stood toe to toe and challenged major recognition and now we know who our money is on thanks to their rather fine new EP.
Tabula Rasa is out now across numerous online stores.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/sixthdimensionthrash/
Pete RingMaster 15/03/2020
Copyright RingMasterReview: MyFreeCopyright
