Skeletonwitch Beyond the Permafrost

Ohio. It's a bit of an unlikely location for the sounds of Bay Area thrash, NWOBH, and black metal to collide, but that didn't appear to be a problem for Skeletonwitch. The Midwest quintet recently jumped on the roster of Prosthetic Records after the self-release of two buzz generating discs and with their continued success in writing some of the catchiest thrash available in the current metal scene and a well-deserved high-quality production job on Beyond the Permafrost, Skeletonwitch is about to get big. At no point in Beyond the Permafrost does Skeletonwitch attempt to reinvent the thrash metal wheel, yet their combination of metal styles, their tight execution, and their obvious love of all things metal just makes it impossible not to love these guys. Break out the denim vests, cut the sleeves off every black t-shirt you own, and grab a thirty pack of PBR. It's time to have a good time, courtesy of the dudes in Skeletonwitch. Beyond the Permafrost is a great combination of new material and a number of older tracks that received the luxury of a cleaner re-recording. Previous fans of the band will love the reincarnated versions of "Beyond the Permafrost," "Baptized in Flames," "Vengeance Will Be Mine," "Fire from the Sky," "Feast upon Flesh," and "Within My Blood." And while the raw sound of At One with the Shadows and Worship the Witch previously worked well for the band, there's no denying that the abundance of swift thrash riffs, dual leads, and thundering double bass sound far better on this release. "Upon Black Wings," the album opener, wastes no time jumping into thrashy ecstasy with an intro of tight drumming and soaring melodic leads. And when the midsection of the track showcases the rhythm section locking into a horns-inducing groove, it's clear that Skeletonwitch has an affinity for memorable songwriting and certainly knows how to use it. Chance Garnett's blackened vocals fit perfectly, and his frost-bitten screams of slightly cheesy (but entirely appropriate) lyrics like "Fear the blackness / Fury of Death / Cower before the storm / Swirling inferno / Glorious evil / Suffer before the horns" are yet another strong point for the band. "Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery" sports both a splendid title and some of the most upbeat melody of the entire disc to which I can't help be reminded of instrumental thrashers Electro Quarterstaff's Mega Man cover. Describing music as 'fun' often has negative connotations, but for listeners looking for a memorable listen built upon a strong foundation of well-executed instrumentation and a unmistakable homage to metal's roots, it doesn't get much better than this. Bottom Line: Skeletonwitch reached a small audience in the metal scene with their earlier discs, but that's nothing compared to the exposure that these Ohio metal lovers will receive with the release of Beyond the Permafrost. The band definitely nailed the formula for high-energy, melodic thrash with this album. It should come with a case of beer (or vice versa).