Album Review: Within The Realm – …Of Systemic Decay

Album Review: Within The Realm – …Of Systemic Decay

Reviewed by Matthew Williams

There’s so much to admire about thrash metal, the blistering tempos, rapid fire drumming, intense energy and headbanging along to pulsating solos. The 80’s thrash sound, led by the Big Four, was revolutionary, as so many legends were born, Testament, Death Angel, Exodus, Overkill, Sacred Reich, Sepultura, to name a few, and Newfoundland’s Within The Realm are upholding that rich tradition with the release of their debut album.

However, it’s been a long process to reach this point, ten years in fact, as the band formed in 2016 but after a few line up changes, location issues and health reasons they are finally ready to unleash their music onto the world stage. Led by bassist Rick White, drummer Michael Small, and guitarist Geoff Waye, they’ve recruited vocalist Richard Squires and have 8 songs that White says captures “a certain rawness and honesty that came from our love of 80’s and 90’s metal”.

The quartet kick off with “Sixth Sense” and that raw sound comes through instantly, before the guitar takes flight and leads the rhythm ahead of the raspy vocal. The song “explores the chaotic, overwhelming burden of unwanted precognitive visions” and has a decent groove that takes your mind back to early 80’s thrash before the solo shines brightly. “Endless Life” takes the intensity levels up a few notches and speaks of the devotion to heavy metal music that we all share, so “let’s raise our fists, join the fight, Let’s scream our hearts out, bang our heads”.

This sums it up their approach perfectly, as the guitars from Waye truly encapsulate the essence of a scene that Grunge tried to kill, but remains very much alive in the mid 2020’s. As with back then, heavy metal was way ahead of it’s time thematically, think Nuclear Assault’s “Handle With Care” and the band approach issues surrounding trauma on the excellent “Spiral of Terror” which has one hell of bassline ripping through it, and government deception, on the hard hitting “Hidden Agenda”.

There’s a trademark thrash intro for “Homicidal Sacrifice” that gets the blood pumping from the off as they delve into “the dark, sinister mind of a killer” with demonic vocals from Squires. Its atmospheric and evil with a stop start section allowing the rhythm to pop through. They test your neck muscles with a gritty riff on “The Information is Out” which has that old school sound to it alongside more excellent bass work from White.

“The Hydra” urges people to unite and “tear down a corrupt, greedy system” which will resonate with plenty around the world right now, as there’s a vocal nod to the legendary King Diamond. Squires range is deep and menacing, pockets of falsetto adding to the dramatic narrative, and it all ends with an explosion of pure nostalgia called “Into The Night”, combining what we all love about thrash metal. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another ten years for the follow up.

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