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REDSHARK “Sudden Impact”
REDSHARK “Sudden Impact”
By Colonel Angus
The music industry may have changed drastically over the last few decades but one thing that has stayed constant is that metal is here to stay. Gene Simmons may say that rock is dead but there is still an assembly line of bands coming out all the time who are flying the flag, especially towards the traditional metal and thrash sub-genres. I’m consistently exposed to new bands and music and there is no shortage of great material coming out on a daily basis. REDSHARK are one of those bands who came out onto the scene a dozen or so years ago and put out their first full length a few years back. Hailing from Spain, these guys are out here giving it a go at speed/thrash metal but with a big nod to the sound that came before.
Kicking off the disk with the title track, the band go full force with an awesome thrasher that captures every special nuance the band has to offer. The riffing is relentless, the vocals have that gritty style of the early days of thrash, and the drumming hammers away with headbanging precision. Truly one of the great openers in the modern age of the genre. The next tune “A Place for Disgrace” shows off a bit of a punk vibe but vocalist Pau Correas keeps it all metal with his banshee wailing. Guitarists Javier Bono and Philip Graves also add some cool soloing to steer it from the primitive punk sound completely.
As things more forward “Fire Raider” is more of a traditional metal tune and shows off another side of their musical landscape. They slow things down a little but still manage to capture the heaviness of the previous tracks. While the first tunes have sheer force, this song substitutes groove for speed and gives us listeners much needed detour from the fast unrelenting riffing that preceeded “Fire Raider”. Make no mistake, REDSHARK are here to slay and they bring back that thrash metal of earlier with “Your Last Breath”. If you had told me this was a thrash tune from back in the late 80s, I would totally believe it. Not only do they capture the sound of the blossoming scene but they also capture the essence of what made that timeframe so special. Even though this material may sound familiar, it is performed with such authenticity that it sounds fresh.
“Hypnotized” steps back again with less thrash but still hard charging riffing over thunderous drumming. They keep it simple but with enough flourishes to make it another standout on “Sudden Impact”. Making sure we don’t forget that they are more of a thrash/speed metal band, “Whispers of Time” brings back that fast riffing but also incorporates some NWOBHM elements. Let’s not forget that early thrash was largely inspired by NWOBHM so it only makes send that REDSHARK would bring in those sounds as well. While ”Beware of the Shark” may seem to have a funny title, the track is as serious as a heart-attack. The band does not let up one bit with this hard pounding speed metal workout. Even this late in the record, the band manages to whip the listener into a riff-laden frenzy.
The twin guitar intro of “The Chase” harkens back to the NWOBHM sound again but the rest of the tune has this cool early HELLOWEEN vibe going for it. Capping off the album, “Fight the Rules of Power” goes full circle by giving us another full-on metal pounder that reminds me of the opening track. Honestly, if this tune doesn’t make you want to start the disk all over again, you should hand over your metal credentials. REDSHARK have managed to create a record that brings back all the great aspects of early thrash and speed metal but with a slightly updated and fresh take. Again, for those out there who believe that rock (or metal) is dead, then they need to get Sudden Impact” because this record is proof that it is alive and well.
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