Album Review: Blacklist - With Murderous Intent
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Amongst the British underground one band that keeps cropping up amidst the thrash circles is Blacklist, and here we have their newest album due for release shortly: With Murderous Intent. Formed in 2018 out of Blackpool, United Kingdom, Blacklist are a band who got things together slowly but eventually, unleashing a slew of Singles that soon culminated in 2021’s Disciples Of Time, their first album. Following this record’s launch, the band would take on a new guitarist in the form of Matt McLoughlin (who alongside Matt Longshaw has his experience in Phantom Sea as well), including releasing numerous Singles that would, in turn, lead to their second record and the reason for this piece. Slated for an August 2nd release date, released wholly independently via their Bandcamp, With Murderous Intent is their next notch in their career and I finally had my opportunity to see what Blacklist were able about, having heard them consistently with promise across various social media.
Blacklist play a rather energetic thrash attack that thankfully doesn’t require too much effort on our part to keep up with; though the band’s thrash is unmistakably fast it never tries to outpace us to the point that we can’t follow where the band are amidst their songwriting. The band make it abundantly clear they can play at speed but I’m thankful to recognise, early on too, they don’t make speed their entire schtick and ensure they’re writing music that you can easily keep up with. I think this is because their faster segments are consistently broken up by segments that are far steadier and help return our attention back down to earth. The band could very well have just assaulted our senses with a sheer, non-stop attack but doing so would have lessened the charm their songwriting otherwise possesses. There’s something in the songwriting that demonstrates an acute understanding of why people such as myself adore discovering thrash that’s more than rapid pacing. By ensuring their audience is always kept on a level where they can interpret what’s happening, they’ll always want to come back for repeated listens.
I think one interesting element this record showcases is the band’s ability to play fast and deadly exciting thrash metal without feeling the need to double down on their intensity at every waking moment. It goes to show that keeping your audience engaged and interested at all times doesn’t require a band to roar in your face without respite; there are numerous instances and tracks herein where the songwriting is clearly rolling with momentum but it never comes across as if the band are expecting you to feel flattened by their onslaught. This doesn’t mean the intensity can’t rise periodically when the songwriting requires it, as riffs and bass drums can suddenly incline with energy out of nowhere and it doesn’t feel like such an instant change that it feels inorganic to Blacklist’s playing. If we were to place Blacklist upon a wavelength then that is how this listening experience plays as: where we dip and climb in intensity and power, always ensuring momentum and recollecting our breath.
It needs saying that, while it’s evident this is a well-produced record displaying few signs of grit or cracks along its exterior, it’s also exceedingly well mixed. The fact that this album manages to keep us glued to it whilst being a rather smooth ride, polished as it is, is an exceptional achievement as I’ve records similar to this where their ability to induce energy is severely curtailed by their choice of production. But it’s worked to Blacklist’s favour whereby they know every note and drum strike and vocal performance is going to be captured on record without the risk of muddied technical capability. As a result, if a riff sounds like a good idea on a particular track, Blacklist can do that. If throwing these visceral vocals on top of a blistering display of bass drumming sounds cool, then they can do that and, likely enough, the mix will help reflect this since nothing unnecessary can be filtered out to leave only what the band wish for you to pick up on. I also liked how I could hear the bass most of the time too; granted the bass is strong here as evidenced by the drumming, but it’s nice to hear even the more minute basslines playing in the background. It might not be the most essential element in the moment, but I just appreciate the fact that the band wanted it there, and for us to know that it’s there.
Considering how these guys are still only relatively young, and With Murderous Intent only their second full length album, you have to genuinely admire the confidence their performance constantly brings with each succeeding track. I think people unfamiliar with Blacklist would think this just another day at the office for them and this record being their next in a continuous slew of releases; the fact these guys are infusing their music with such a bonafide confidence at this stage in their career is astonishing, and frankly their performance actually reinforces that. What you receive throughout With Murderous Intent isn’t merely a thrash record, but a band who firmly believe in the quality of what they’ve written. It’s the attitude and persona their songwriting embodies that pushes this record out further than many other thrash records I’ve encountered this year. It’s easy to write racing riffs and vocals of a vicious nature once you’re accustomed to it, but to continuously punch you in the throat time and again without losing an iota of passion isn’t easy to pull off. It’s this love and drive for thrash that permeates incessantly across the full runtime that will keep fans coming back for Blacklist.
In conclusion, this is one storming, electrifying record that will keep you on the edge of your seat for its entire fifty minute runtime. If you harboured any fears whether a thrash record could sustain your engagement for that length of time you need not worry, for Blacklist throw everything including the kitchen sink at you throughout their songwriting. As far as thrash goes, With Murderous Intent is much more reserved and doesn’t try and step outside the box all that much, yet it’s easily one of the stronger thrash exports I’ve discovered this year, and I believe it’s precisely because Blacklist don’t push the pedal down all the way, at all times, that makes their sound feel so accessible whilst simultaneously powerful. They understand when they need to reel back from punching your throat in and just let the riffs and yourself breathe for a minute. It’s why they can continuously hurl these six and seven minute long songs at us again and again without any decline of interest or excitement on the audience’s part. Furthermore this is a band that believes wholeheartedly in themselves and the music they’ve created, refined and then mixed together. I absolutely loved my time spent alongside With Murderous Intent and I’m convinced a great swathe with come to their fanbase come its release of August 2nd. Heavily recommended.
