Suppressive Fire - Bedlam

Tracklist:-

1. Ceasefire

2. The Hellwraith

3. Coup D'etat

4. They Flesh Consumed

5. Bayonet Penetration

6. Nazi Face Melter

7. Pyrophoric Blood

8. Ironsights

9. Crucify The Kings

10. Holy Masochism

11. Bedlam

It's time for some war-inspired, Nazi hatin' black thrash. After a demo and a split record featuring Black Flag and Thin Lizzy covers, Raleigh (North Carolina) three-piece Suppressive Fire have finally released their debut album. Suppressive Fire clearly aren't shy, having already supported Warbringer and Exmortus this year, as well as scoring an up-coming support slot with Absu in their hometown also. Anyway, I'm hoping that the concoction of black thrash and alcohol will help me banish this damn head cold!

Somebody posed a question to me the other day that went something like this; “How can you listen to heavy metal? It all just sounds like witches wailing”. We’ve all been asked the same question before haven’t we? I answered with “I’ve listened to it for over 15 years now and I don’t know any different” and “because it’s real, energetic and skillful, unlike mainstream pop and dance”. Bands like Suppressive Fire are another reason why, as they’re hard-working and write music that they find fun and to hell with anyone else! Ceasefire rages about war and is more thrash than black, but packs a hell of a lot of riffs into it’s short 3+ minute time span. The Hellwraith does actually bring to mind bands like Warbringer with it’s militaristic approach and blackened growls. Coup D’etat may also be the title of a Megadeth song, but this is no cleanly delivered metal song. Suppressive Fire’s version is all fire and brimstone with Slayer-isms thrown in for good measure. They switch tempos on Thy Flesh Consumed, going all old-school death metal but with a screamer of an intro solo thrown in for good measure. The rest of the song ain’t bad either and flashed passed in the blink of an eye. Bayonet Penetration is the best title for a song period. The riffs are catchy and I’ll challenge anyone not to shout the title when outside in public. Nazi Face Melter pretty much sums up SF’s mood and utter disdain towards dictatorial tyrants and regimes. Play this to the SS and they would have surrendered there and then. SF starts Pyrophoric Blood with the sort of instrumental thrash into that Metallica would be proud of. Of course, they follow it up with utter devastation. If it’s pure speed you’re after then Ironsights is the rabble rouser for you! At this point I’ll acknowledge my overdue of exclamation marks. This music makes a person do that!!! Crucify The Kings lures you into a false sense of security with it’s mid-paced verses but leaves your jaw age with it’s chorus and blinding lead-work. Before you know it, penultimate belter Holy Masochism kicks you square in the face with ridiculous accuracy. clearly they’ve spent to long on the shooting range!. They wait till the end of the record to produce something more ambient, at least during it’s opening bars. Bedlam (the title-track) promises a bit of balladry but descends into one final intense blast. Black thrash (and thrash in general) has always been a good excuse to pound beers but Bedlam contains more than just entertainment value. This is razor-sharp extreme metal with a nod to the old-school. Long my Suppressive Fire reign.

You can stream Bedlam and pick it up in various forms (including as part of a t-shirt bundle) directly from Suppressive Fire here:-

Suppressive Fire Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/suppressivefire