I’m not exactly sure which one of my Facebook friends posted about Seidhr first, but kudos to you for blessing my timeline with more metal and less bullshit, the latter of which seems to dominate that cesspool of an app these days. Formed in 2023 by Chris Revill (rebranded here as S. Fukkbringer) after the dissolution of his longtime grind duo, Shit Life, Seidhr is a full fledged black-thrash juggernaut. Sonically, they lie somewhere between first wave black metal and the “thrashened black metal”, as I like to call it, of the ’90s (i.e. Nifelheim, Absu, Deströyer 666), making their debut album, Dracanthropy, one hellish listen.
Joining Mr. Fukkbringer (I’m chuckling like Beavis and Butthead while typing that) in this foray are members of bands like deadly barbarians Garoted and pizza thrashers Manic Outburst, albeit under equally amusing pseudonyms (I. Kunthammer on drums and S. Pervertör on guitars). Together, this trio of terror show no mercy whatsoever, donning their sharpest spikes, blackest leather, and pushing the speed limit to overload. In the short course of 31 minutes, Seidhr devastate our eardrums with 8 diabolical originals and a colossal Absu cover (more on that later).
I do wish this album came with a lyric sheet, as from the presence of titles like “Ignotus Sanktus Malum”, “Banished to Kur”, and “Akkadian Invokation”, Seidhr boasts a strong interest in the arcane and esoteric, just like Absu themselves. However, unlike Absu, their compositions are far more bestial and less grandiose, at times almost channeling the primal aggression of Sepultura circa ’85-’86, particularly in the riffing and drumming of cuts like “Ignotus Sanktus Malum” and “Awaken the Tormentor”. This Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote dynamic between the drums and guitars goes on for the better part of the album, seldom letting up, making for quite the neck-snapping affair.
When the band does veer away from this meat and potatoes black-thrash brutality, it’s with outbursts of equally thrilling old school romanticism. Hence the title, “Blakkspeed Deathkult” boasts some Venom-esque rockin’ amidst the high velocity thrash. Perhaps it’s the slower tempo that’s throwing me a curveball, but something about “Beyond Obliteration” screams Haunting the Chapel era Slayer to me (whereas the rest of the album lies closer to the Show No Mercy era, especially with those bloodcurdling shrieks). Rounding it all out is a faithful cover of Absu’s “The Highland Tyrant Attack”, on which drummer I. Kunthammer’s feet must’ve been working overtime. Get a load of that rampaging double bass!
While not a slab of black-thrash that goes toe to toe with the heroes of yesteryear or ascends to that upper echelon of metallic brilliance, Dracanthropy is a strong debut outing that checks off all the boxes one would expect from a release of this nature. Riffs that thrash harder than a Mike Tyson upper cut circa 1986, non-stop drumming with copious use of double bass and the “Possessed toms”, vocals that go between demonic rasps and Tom Araya/Schmier-esque cries of terror: Let me know if I’ve missed anything by cranking this bad boy up to 666!
7 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Absu, Nifelheim, Sepultura
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