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EXECUTIONIST “Sacraments of the Sick”
EXECUTIONIST “Sacraments of the Sick”
By Dr. Abner Mality
Youthful enthusiasm goes a long way in the extreme metal world and if there’s one thing that Atlanta’s EXECUTIONIST has a lot of, it’s that. The Ash brothers Brett and Tristan started the band in 2021 when they were 17 and 13, respectively. Austin Rose and Mike Kinder joined the band a little later and judging by the band photo, don’t look any older than the Ash boys.
EXECUTIONIST is a pure thrash metal band and they do have energy to spare, but they’ve got a long way to go before they’re up there with the likes of HIGH COMMAND and ENFORCED. Biggest issue with “Sacrament of the Sick” is the production. They are going for a late 80’s “dry” sound which can work well, but not when the bottom end disappears completely. I can barely hear the bass and the drums sound is lacking depth. The result is that there is a grating harshness to the guitar sound and not in a pleasing way. EXECUTIONIST definitely have the speed and there are good riffs spread throughout the album, particularly on the title track, “Divided We Stand, United We Fall” and “Palace of Kings”. Those riffs would be even more potent with strong bass and drum punch.
The other big issue is the vocals of Brett Ash, which are rough and harsh. OK, that can work for thrash, but there’s no variance over the entire album. Everything is delivered at the same pace and inflection, making for a wearying listen over the entire course of the album. In time, I hope Brett can pick up those little tricks and quirks that make for a smoother listen. Also, some of the tracks here just are longer than they need to be. Only the title track seems comfortable coming in at over 7 minutes. “Wheels of War” and “Thy Kingdom Come” just drag and would have been better with a couple of minutes shaved. I think EXECUTIONIST would work best with short, sharp attacks.
This is a serious thrash metal album performed by guys who have an obvious love for the genre, but there need to be improvements made for EXECUTIONIST to hit that next level. Fortunately, time is on their side.
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