I don’t know what’s in the water out in Brazil, but whatever it is, us wimpy Americans could sure use some of it! What’s perhaps most incredible about their metal scene is how they seemed to bypass Sabbath, Priest, and the NWOBHM entirely, instead using Motörhead, Venom, and Discharge as a launching pad. The end result? Some of the filthiest, foulest, and truly infernal metal known to man, courtesy of Sepultura, Sarcófago, Mystifier, and beyond. These ancient traditions are still upheld to this day, the very mention of modern evils like ProTools, pitch correcting, and clean production rebuking these bands the way a crucifix casts away a demon. And perhaps no Brazilian act leads the trve metal charge today like Whipstriker.
Spearheaded by their namesake bandleader, Whipstriker have been destroying eardrums for the better part of 15 years with an endless barrage of albums, EPs, and splits. Lots and lots and LOTS of splits. Admittedly, they haven’t reach Agathocles or Nunslaughter levels of absurdity yet, but give ’em some time and I’m sure they’ll be in the running. While there’s been no shortage of Whipstriker to go around, as far as a full length goes, it’s been quite some time, seven years to be exact. 2018’s Merciless Artillery was widely celebrated by the metal underground, and served as the introduction to these Brazilian barbarians for yours truly. Seven years later, Whipstriker returns, lethal as ever with their fifth album, Cry of Extinction.
This latest outing sees Whipstriker (the man) handling all instruments on his own, and causing quite a racket at that. Vocally, he sounds closer to Cronos than Cronos himself these days (sorry, Conrad!), and he knows his way around instruments well enough to craft a song or seven, with an intro and Destruction cover to boot. From the d-beat driven black/speed mania of the title track, it’s off to the races. Whipstriker keeps it fast and evil with a blizzard of ripping solos, rotten production, and devilish rasps, pushing our neckbones to the limit with one rager after the next.
“Rush of Fury” boasts leather and spike-clad licks reminiscent of Show No Mercy era Slayer, while “Heartrippers” oozes with a sleaziness straight off Bulldozer’s The Day of Wrath, its lead riff even sounding like a distant cousin of “Cut Throat”. Hey, I’d rather a band sound too similar to Bulldozer these days than any second wave black metal act. When Whipstriker isn’t bringing down the black/speed hammer, he possesses us with dark and dirty hymn from hell, like “Six-Eyes Crow Division” and “WWVI”, which tap into the anthemic and epic side of Venom respectively.
Speaking of epic, nothing can prepare you for the 10 minute finale that is “Military Scum”: A wild voyage through first wave black metal hell. You never know where it’ll go next, but its dark magnificence leaves us hanging on the edge of our seats regardless. As those final riffs and Whipstriker’s tortured cries fade off into oblivion, we’re left with yet another top shelf gem of first wave worship from one of the genre’s most dedicated purveyors. Those with a penchant for black metal in its infancy circa 1981-1984 will cry tears of unholy joy over Cry of Extinction!
8 out of 10
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Genre: Black/Speed Metal
For fans of: Venom, Bulldozer, Bewitcher
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