BLACK SHEPHERD — Immortal Aggression (review)

BLACK SHEPHERD — Immortal Aggression album cover Album · 1988 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Immortal Aggression" is the debut full-length studio album by Belgian thrash metal act Black Shepherd. The album was released through Punk Etc. in 1988. Black Shepherd formed in 1984 (although they functioned under the Beelzebub monicker from 1983-1984) and released no less than four demos before being signed for the release of "Immortal Aggression". "Immortal Aggression" turned out to be their sole full-length studio album. They released one further demo in 1989 and then disbanded. Four members of the band subsequently formed death/thrash metal act Mortuary but changed their name to Cruxmortis in 1990. A new streak of demos were released but Cruxmortis folded again in the mid-90s without any label output.

Stylistically the music on the album is very similar in style to the early releases of artists like Possessed and Slayer. Lead vocalist Ivan Verhaegen has an odd sounding staccato singing style, but his occasionally growling singing moments are pretty great. The instrumental part of the music is raw, aggressive, and unhinged thrash metal with fast-paced riffs, aggressive pounding drums, and screaming chromatic guitar solos. The band are well playing and although their music is raw and organic these guys are pretty good musicians and everything is delivered with tight precision.

"Immortal Aggression" is ultimately nothing out of the ordinary for the style, but fans of artists like Possessed, (early) Slayer, and Morbid Saint should find a lot to appreciate here. It´s all well performed (well...the vocals are pretty surely an aquired taste), nicely raw and powerful sounding (a sound production perfectly suiting the rawness of the music), and Black Shepherd write some pretty effectful and powerful songs too. So upon conclusion "Immortal Aggression" is a good quality release in the more raw end of the 80s thrash metal scale. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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