Whipstriker – Merciless Artillery
Band: Whipstriker
Title: Merciless Artillery
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Release Date: 9 March 2018
Country: Brazil
Here’s another Whipstriker release. 10 years in the game and full length Album No.4 (among 29 other singles/eps) from these maniacs of Brazilian Speed/Thrash Metal. Adorned with a splendid Rok/Sadistik Ex inspired cover art, it is blatantly clear just what this is all about! Skull crushing head removal. Yep, Merciless Artillery pretty much does what it says on the can!
Released in the latter part of 2017, we now see Merciless Artillery gain a wider distribution release via the bands new label in Hells Headbangers Records. Good work too, as this has massive appeal to those looking for straight down the line, no frills speed metal attack! If you are familiar with this band at all you certainly won’t be disappointed in what you hear. In fact, this is possibly the band strongest work to date. Having said that, musically this is not a great leap from their earlier work, it’s just that they’ve captured a particular vibe on this album that works on a different, more responsive level.
Newcomers? Well, think equal parts old school Venom/Motorhead meets the filthy crusty end of Hellhammer/Sodom inspired riffage. Dirty, raging speed metal anthems that arrive, inflict maximum damage and then leave you drained before you realize the album is over! Incredibly, and most surprisingly, embedded within this maelstrom of white noise and relentless double kick battering is some quite tasteful and, dare I suggest it, melodic lead work that adds a new(er) dimension to Whipstrikers sound. Vocally, Whip himself reminds me a whole lot of Cronos (Venom) with his harsh, rough as guts delivery suiting their style perfectly. Song wise, everything is on a par with everything else – pure, frenetic speed induced mayhem that asks nothing more from you than to bang thy head! Merciless Artillery has a wicked spirit about it and despite its absolute familiarity, one can’t help but be enveloped in its atmosphere. No one expects high-brow convoluted compositions here…as stated, it does what it says on the can. You know what you’re getting and as far as Whipstriker is concerned, that is good enough indeed.
If fast, loud filthy speed metal riffage is your go-to, then Merciless Artillery is begging for your attention. No pretentiousness here folks…this has spirit, this has balls. It is absolutely Metal in every way! 8/10 By KMaN
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