Another heavy release from Finland, this time in the form of Thrash Metal with some other influences thrown into the mix. The band, called “THE MACHETE” was formed with members from MOKOMA and MIND RIOT, being the latter totally unknown to me.

Simple but artsy cover art tells me this will be a unexpected surprise. But again my keen sense of art fails again, this is not unexpected or surprising in any way, although that doesn’t mean this one sucks, because it doesn’t. THE MACHETE plays Thrash Metal with some variation and versatility on the vocal department, the singer Tuomo Saikkonen, can mold his voice to a nice melodic tone, to a powerful gruff, to a commanding scream, to a blackened shriek.

About the music, it can be quite brutal at times and it can be completely melodic in some section, this duality is more than welcome but sadly in some parts it feels like the band was trying to appeal to a more “commercial” target, because some sections sound just like a Emo o Nu Metal song. Riffing could be another thing the band could improve, the riffs aren’t as sharp as you would expect in a Thrash Metal band, they sound just too bland at times.

At the end is a good record to listen once in a while, but don’t get your hopes too high, because this is not the best Thrash Metal record of the year, as a matter of fact you can’t consider this a pure Thrash record, because it contains a lot of influences from other sub genres. Try first, buy later. (Online May 18, 2006)