Album review: Spain’s Angelus Apatrida combines modern and old-school thrash metal on its new album
Angelus Apatrida gives us Spanish thrash metal on its seventh album.
Angelus Apatrida is a terrific thrash metal band from Spain. Founded more than two decades ago, their new self-titled album is their seventh full-length studio album since they debuted with “Evil Unleashed” in 2006. Having evolved and matured over the years, Angelus Apatrida, still consisting of Guillermo Izquierdo on vocals and guitar, Jose Izquierdo on bass, Victor Valera on drums and David Alvarez on guitar, is now a terrific thrash metal band up there with the best. The “Angelus Apatrida” album features ten brand new songs and kicks off with the relentless “Indoctrinate”. The lyrics on the album have been largely influenced by Spain’s recent troubles, both the shambolic political situation and the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The track “Through the Glass” is one of the album’s strongest with a serious Bay Area thrash metal feel to it. Spain is perhaps not as far away from California as one might think. The pummelling “Empire of Shame” is another favourite track of mine. It has splendid guitars and an angry attitude about it that appeals to me. “Into the Well” is terrific and the track’s vocals are partly kind of spoken rather than sung which keeps the song interesting. Some songs, like “The Age of Disinformation”, “Disposable Liberty” and “Bleed the Crown”, have a modern feel to them. The members of Angelus Apatrida have clearly been influenced by the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, but they have used that influence and added their own bits. The result is terrific thrash metal that sounds modern and relevant without losing its roots. The band is experienced and knows how to deliver what its listeners want to hear. The Japanese edition comes with a bonus track: a great live recording of the Slayer cover “The Antichrist”.
Angelus Apatrida new album will be released in Japan on 5th March via Ward Records and has already been released internationally via Century Media Records.
