• Great guitar work inspired by thrash metal origins - A review of Warsenal's Barn Burner

    Warsenal - Barn Burner (2015)

    Canadian trio Warsenal plays thrash metal in the key of early Megadeth with all the flaws and strengths that come with it. Debut record Barn Burner is a very good album for genre fans. 

    The guitar work is particularly outstanding. The riffs are engaging and sharp and vary from mid-paced groove to plenty of fast passages. The melodic guitar solos are also outstanding. One element is missing though that bothers me during the solo sections. There is no additional guitar in the background, making these parts sound somewhat thin. Some additional guitar tracks would make the listening experience much heavier. The band should maybe think about getting a second guitar player on board.

    The bass guitar play is also quite competent. It doesn't only support drums and lead guitars very well but has a few shining moments here and there and fills the void during the solo passages. Both the bass and guitar players have great technical skills.

    The drum play blends in fittingly but is overall the least spectacular instrument. Some more variation, solos or fills would have made the record even more interesting. An average drum player isn't an issue if you have three guitar players or a keyboardist but when you perform as a three-piece, the drums need to be more present than they are on this record.

    The vocals are aggressive with a slight melodic touch and fit the genre the band performs. However, they aren't charismatic enough to make this band stand out among many other young thrash metal bands.

    If the band wants to improve, the drums need to become more versatile and the vocals should sound a little bit more distinct. Bass guitars, lead guitars and guitar solos sound already very good. The record sounds consistent from start to finish without any significant ups or downs. Having just seen the trio live in concert, let me tell you that Warsenal's shows are extremely energetic and entertaining. Thrash metal fans should keep an eye on the promising trio from Joliette and can give the solid Barn Burner a few spins.

    Final rating: 65%

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