Would you know...just when UK Speed Thrashers Onslaught wanted to go out on a major European tour in support of their previous album (Sounds Of Violence, review by yours truly with update since my review of the band's 2007 comeback album, posted 02/02/2011), one of the band's oldest members, drummer Steve Grice (whom was at the basis of the band's reformation in 2005) decides to quit.
Extreme Noise Terror's Michael Hourihan replaced him on the tour, and became a full member of the band in November of that same year. At the same time, it was decided that lead singer Sy Keeler would also play bongos on stage. Not that the drummer needed any particular backing, you know, because as the band itself confesses, he undoubtedly injected a whole new level of energy and aggression in the Onslaught battery, “...it was incredible hearing some of the drum patterns he come up with for the album...” (citation from the info sheet which accompanies the promo download of the album – which is one track short, for some reason...is this the way labels will try to stop illegal download on the Internet??).
As for the album's material (of which only one full-length track, entitled “Chaos Is King” is posted in the “Music” section of the band's facebook page (www.) facebook.com/onslaughtuk), it truly exceeds my expectations. Album opener already has somewhat of an “Oriental” flavouring in the music, and on “Children Of The Sand” the guys add a previously unheard touch by adding an oriental female vocalist...which may well be a sample, you know. At any rate, it gives the track exactly that kind of feeling the guys wanna give the track...which appears to me part of an album concept (you figure it out for yourselves, okay...that'll give you something to do, in stead of just getting all answers presented to you gratuitly!). For more material off the new album, you'll have to look up the album's page at one of the trusted online sales sites, but really...
...you might of course put in the trouble to go out to your local record store to check the album out in its completeness, but you can take it from me that if you're even slightly into Thrash Metal, you can just simply buy the album at face value! Having stated that the album exceeds its predecessor, I will give it an accordingly higher rating...what the heck...I'll nominate it into my “Best Albums Of 2013”-lists, while I'm at it!