Album Review: Raider - Trial By Chaos
Reviewed by Richard Oliver
'Trial By Chaos' is the second album from Canadian thrashers Raider. The four piece from Ontario formed in 2017 and turned heads and crushed skulls with their debut album 'Guardian Of The Fire' in 2020. Now with 'Trial By Chaos', Raider have delivered another rager of an album to appease the thrashing hordes.
Raider are a band that are very much old school thrash metal in sound and spirit but they throw in plenty of elements from old school death metal as well meaning that this thrash is even more violent and aggressive. But whilst there is shed loads of speed and aggression it is offset by a key sense of melody throughout especially in the lead guitar solos from Gabe Rosa who absolutely shreds in style throughout the duration of the album.
The melody is subtle in its use as this album rages hard and fast in the form of chaotic neck wreckers such as the title track, ‘Fearless’ and ‘Juggernaut Cerebrivore’’. This is an album that doesn’t pause for breath and there is no moment of respite or calm for the listener to gather their thoughts being a non-stop assault of thrash from start to finish. The death metal elements can be heard in some of the riffing and can especially be heard in the throat shredding vocals from Angelo Bonaccorso.
Like the vast majority of younger bands playing old school thrash and death metal you can easily write it off and say it has all been done before. And whilst that is certainly true, there is absolutely no doubt that Raider absolutely kill it at what they do and whilst it may be a throwback to a bygone era there is still a massive demand for old school thrash and death metal and if younger bands sound as good as this then this should be encouraged and applauded. Certain aspects of metal fandom become too hung up on what the next progression in heavy music will be whilst I’m just happy with bands thrashing away like it is 1988. Trends come and go but thrash will never die and this album is evident that thrash is still in a very good place.
