Band:	Angelus Apatrida
Album:	Angelus Apatrida
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	February 2021

01. Indoctrinate
02. Bleed The Crown
03. The Age Of Disinformation
04. Rise Or Fall
05. Childhood's End
06. Disposable Liberty
07. We Stand Alone
08. Through The Glass
09. Empire Of Shame
10. Into The Well

Spanish Gold.

Spain's Angelus Apatrida have been making a name for themselves the noisy way, that is through consistently strong thrash albums that mix hard-hitting rhythms with a large quantity of six-string heroics and vocal melodies. 2021's self-titled record is a statement of intent and one that is diverse in its delivery, though singing from the same hymn sheet as its predecessors; Angelus Apatrida is likey to be one of the stronger thrash releases of the year, and one that should finally see the band's name gain more popularity above their current level.

While I find it odd that a band decides to release their eponymous record seven albums into their career, it is a decision that makes sense once you have heard the record in question, given that it consolidates the band's sound into one air-tight package and as a result serves as a great place to jump on for anyone who has not listened to them previously.

The opening track "Indoctrinate" is a perfect example of this consolidation of the band's sound, encompassing the band's ability to write not only high-quality high-speed thrash, but also mid-tempo thrash and groove metal; not only are they able to weave these three elements into one track, but they are able to do so without the track sounding bloated or clunky. To finish as the band started, the album closer "Into The Well" repeats the same trick as "Indoctrinate"; while it doesn't hit as hard, it is still a strong track and a solid idea to finish the album in the same vein as it had begun.

The opening groove riff of "Bleed The Crown" will have you hooked instantly, in much the same way as a Pantera track pulled you in on the back of a Dimebag riff. Angelus Apatrida ensure that whatever style of thrash they're bringing on a track, it is built around a solid hook, be it like the aforementioned track or the building head mover of "Empire Of Shame". Added to this mix are the foot to the floor thrashers that amongst the differing tempos and styles serve to be a massive shot of undiluted adrenaline a la Vincent Vega to Mia Wallace. "Childhood's End" and "We Stand Alone" should come with a speeding warning if you are listening while driving, as they will see you matching the song's tempo unconsciously.

The band's credentials as a solid thrash band are on full display throughout this record, from Izquierdo and Álvarez's solid guitar work on tracks like "Rise And Fall" and "Disposable Liberty" to Valera's constant slamming energy behind the drum kit, with him also managing to balance his duties behind the kit with providing backing vocals.

The album isn't perfect, suffering from a slight dip in quality towards the end of the record; tracks like "We Stand Alone" and "Through The Glass" are a bit more pedestrian, with the former sounding like a Havok clone and the latter only really having a great guitar solo to make it memorable. Neither are particularly bad, but they don't match the bar the band set for themselves on Angelus Apatrida.

The album highlights the precarious balance between homage and copying your influences; the occasional possession of Izquierdo by the spirit of Chuck Billy on "Through The Glass" is a good nod and fun Easter egg for listeners, while on the flipside "Childhood's End", whose chorus has a vocal pattern that had me scratching my head as to where I had heard it before (for those of you driving yourself barmy its "United Abominations" by Megadeth), delves too far down the rabbit hole.

Angelus Apatrida have ensured that 2021 gets off on a hell of a strong foot, setting a bar by which other thrash albums this year should be measured against; although that seems like a hell of a tough ask, Angelus Apatrida is more than ready to take on all comers. If you have yet to listen to this band then good news, they have crafted a solid point for you to jump in.