- REVIEWS -

WARPATH "Damnation" Genre: Thrash Metal Independent Release

It seems that Evile set quite a trend for young British thrash bands to work with legendary figures in metal when they managed to get their debut album recorded by famed Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen because Pitiful Reign have since announced that their forthcoming debut will be co-produced by none other than bass player supreme Steve DiGiorgio and Juan Ortega (who has produced Exodus and Sadus amongst others) and now Warpath come along with an album recorded in the studio of Kevin Talley (formerly of Chimaira and Dying Fetus, amongst others) by Orlando Villasenor and mastered by celebrated guitarist James Murphy. Of course all the famous names would count for nothing if the songs weren't any good. Fortunately though Warpath's songs are very good indeed! The band's love of Bay Area thrash in general and Exodus in particular shines through with every song being chock full of neck-snapping riffs and some quite brilliant solos - the type that make you involuntary play air guitar before checking around to see if anyone noticed. The production, as you may expect, is superb with every instrument sounding powerful without overpowering anything else and though vocalist Richard Goss' hoarse bellow may be a tad limited in range, it's certainly effective and he manages to come up with some memorable vocal lines too. It's just about impossible to actually reinvent thrash these days and the difference between being just another thrash band or a genuinely exciting 'true' thrash band is often very fine indeed - and it's a line that Warpath are very definitely on the right side of because "Damnation" is the most exciting new thrash album I've heard in years and it only gets better every time I listen to it. Check them out for yourselves at www.myspace.com/warpathuk Powerpoints: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Neil Woodfin

- July 24th 2008 -

It's not a big secret that the good old Thrash Metal celebrates it's resurrection these days. More and more high quality squads emerging from the underground to revive the good old 80s spirit again. One of England's hottest acts in this battle are WARPATH. It's one of the finest lethal doses of steel which this quartet has released on their self made album. Right from the start this horde thrashes full speed ahead and pulls out all the stops. Fast, extremely tight riffing, marvellous bass lines and powerful, very skilled drumming leaves the listener stunned. You really know immediately that they have the right feeling for the music -- these Englishmen deliver their thrashing hymns very authentic and vital.

The great opener is followed by another highlight which is entitled "Infernal". The song's refrain was refined with excellent gang shouts to create the right atmosphere. WARPATH's trademarks are long instrumental passages and extended guitar duels with neckbreaking, precise leads. These guys rule! Although they play quite fast throughout the entire album there are a lot of breaks and tempo changes within the songs. The band keeps everything interesting and there's enough variation. The outfit slows the speed a little bit down with "Spitting Blood" -- but nevertheless the tune is great. This squad reminds me a little bit on a fresh and hungry blend of VIOLENCE meets MEGADETH and belongs to the best Thrash Metal stuff I have ever heard from England. In my opinion they are the legitimate heirs of former leading Thrash acts like XENTRIX, SABBAT, DEATHWISH or ONSLAUGHT. And another fact of the band's sheer brilliance is the fact that none other than James Murphy mastered their album. Generally the disc has a mega great sound quality, a total power blast. Everybody who is seriously into Thrash Metal shouldn't miss this killer release. I can already hear the big labels' knocking on their door! Thrash at it's best!

Thanks to Michael Oelschlegel for the review and translation.

Source: www.laermbelaestigung.net/mag/reviews/reviews.php?letter=W#WARPATH

Best Metal Albums of 2008

  1. Testament - The Formation of Damnation (2008)
  2. Cavalera Conspiracy - Inflikted (2008)
  3. Hatchet - Awaiting Evil (2008)
  4. Warpath - Damnation (2008)    [Rated 4 out of 5]
  5. Abysmal Dawn - Programmed to Consume (2008)
  6. Bonded by Blood - Feed the Beast (2008)
  7. Unleashed - Hammer Battalion (2008)
  8. Saviours - Into Abaddon (2008)
  9. Torture Squad - Hellbound (2008)
10. The Sword - Gods of the Earth (2008)
11. Disturbed - Indestructible (2008)
12. Enemy Is Us - Venomized (2008)
13. Warbringer - War Without End (2008)
14. Kingdom of Sorrow - Kingdom of Sorrow (2008)
15. Davidian - Hear Their Cries (2008)
16. Hail of Bullets - Of Frost and War (2008)
17. Avenger of Blood - Death Brigade (2007)
18. Grave - Dominion VIII (2008)
19. Death Angel - Killing Season (2008)
20. Children of Bodom - Blooddrunk (2008)
21. Kataklysm - Prevail (2008)
22. Biomechanical - Cannibalised (2008)
23. Meshuggah - obZen (2008)
24. Judas Priest - Nostradamus (2008)
25. Arsis - We Are the Nightmare (2008)

The Return of Thrash - Best Albums

  1. Hatchet - Awaiting Evil (2008)
  2. Warpath - Damnation (2008)    [Rated 4 out of 5]
  3. Decadence - 3rd Stage of Decay (2006)
  4. Evile - Enter the Grave (2007)
  5. Bonded by Blood - Feed the Beast (2008)
  6. Hatesphere - Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes (2007)
  7. Dekapitator - The Storm Before the Calm (2007)
  8. Skeletonwitch - Beyond the Permafrost (2007)
  9. Mutant
10. Warbringer - War Without End (2008)
11. Avenger of Blood - Death Brigade (2007)
12. Sun Descends - The Entropy Formula (2008)
13. Fueled by Fire - Spread the Fire! (2006)
14. Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying (2007)
15. Toxic Holocaust - Hell on Earth (2005)
16. Mastery - Lethal Legacy (2005) [EP]
17. Davidian - Hear Their Cries (2008)
18. Boltdown - Omnicide (2008)
19. Merciless Death - Evil in the Night (2007)
20. Wardeath - Confronto Bestial (2008)

WARPATH / UNKNOWN FEAR / SHALLOW INTENTIONS - THE TURKS, READING 05/07/08

After a fantastically hard-hitting, near-consecutive month of death metal gigs at The Turks in Reading, a respite from blast beats and bowel-shifting low end growls is finally come, in the form of tonight's triple hit from Shallow Intentions, Unknown Fear and Warpath; and with the night composed of one part epic power metal and two parts blazing thrash, the resultant cocktail of metallic goodness has got more than a little bit of kick up its sleeve.

Rounding off the night in style, Warpath admittedly don't make much of first impression, taking forever and a day to soundcheck. However, once they dive headfirst into the set you realize why they insisted upon doing so - to achieve an absolutely pitch-perfect, crystal clear crunch in their sound which aids and abets their performance no end. Carrying themselves with a fantastically confident and assured air that wins hearts and sets necks snapping in moments, their brand of thrash does over-extend itself now and again, but it's hard to care when the sound beating every eardrum in the room to a pulp is quite so speedy, groovy, vicious and abrasive all at the same time. Coupled with their remarkable cohesion as a unit, the band deserve every accolade they get - and the exhausted, smiling metalheads stood before them give them many.

"Killer, it will rock your world - 3 out of 4"

While Germany and the United States had thrash bands pouring out all over the place twenty years ago there were never a whole lot of thrash bands coming out of the UK. You had Onslaught and Sabbat and a few smaller name acts, but not a huge amount even though their seemed to be a fan base for it because thrash bands from other countries played there. Anyway now with the thrash resurgence we are seeing more thrash acts coming from there such Evile, Gama Bomb and now Warpath. Many of the newer thrash bands have looked to Slayer, the Bay Area scene (Metallica, Exodus and others) the German thrash scene (Kreator/Sodom/Destruction and others) or a combination of two or more of those sounds for influences. Yet it takes about a minute into the opener here which is the title track to realize that Warpath's prime musical influence is Megadeth. Primarily "Peace sells" and "Rust In Peace" eras as they rely on a similar style of finger bending, slightly odd paced riffs. The vocals are far more standard as no one has ever been able or really tried to sing like Dave Mustaine. There are also some shades of peak Slayer mixed in here and there as well. They rely on the opening riffs and that works wonders, but they don't always do enough into the song to really keep the momentum rolling. It's not a lack of energy as much as it is that they need to work on the songwriting a little and bring some more ideas into the fold. Those killer, slightly crazy whirling riffs are at the beginning of every song, they just need to keep fleshing more ideas. However one thing that they have no trouble in doing is being very heavy and and this is in large part due to having an above average rhythm section. Even if not every song is going to grab you, their spine-rattling, pounding heaviness already made enough of an impression on me. I can't tell you how many times I have pulled out an album from the 80's by some thrash band I once liked only to realize that they have not aged well largely due to the fact that they were just not that heavy. So I think having that strong background going is really likely to help Warpath to get some notice and they just need to work around it and keep building in other areas. They have certainly done enough establish a very firm foundation and seem to be on the right track.

Source: http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2008/07/warpath-damnation.html

Already Warpath are quickly becoming one of the top rated bands by listeners in over 60 countries. These guys are rippin' up the airwaves. Killer stuff. Expect to hear Warpath daily on Thrash Unlimited Radio. The album is a must-have!

Source: http://thrashunlimited.com

A young newcomer to the scene. Warpath are a collection of pretty boys in black, sporting the long hair and mastery of several speedy riffs, crushing drum rhythms and pounding bass. They're backed by some of metal's heavyweights; legendary guitarist James Murphy (Testament, Death, Obituary) helped master this particular album. Not only that, but we have a video CD as well! Fantastic.

Yes, unlike many contemporaries, this band do have a unique sound, mixing in fast lead solos, bass solos and changes of pace throughout. The tunes are quite long, with only 8 tracks on the entire album. However, there's enough to keep you going and you won't loose interest. There's a feeling of Megadeth in here somewhere I feel and I like that.

Opening with a harmony of voices, slightly reminiscent of Metallica in sound, Warpath bring a solid metal sound to the fore. Sure, there's perhaps an excess of double bass pedal again, but we like that sort of thing. The guitars are solid and the sound is tight. The harmony effect on the vocals begins to bore after a while however and its not surprising that Warpath let their instruments speak for them in the main. The lyrics aren't exactly inspiring and the vocals are simply shouted, not sung; not even in a guttural manner.

But then, this is thrash and we are really in it for face-melting solo work and pounding, bass heavy riffs and bridges and we certainly get that. Overall the album has a similar sound but there are one or two spots where things change. Vocally, "Face to Face" shows improvement. "Spitting Blood" starts off slower than the rest with a cool sounding bass solo, moving into all out guitar fever.

The problem with this album, and there is one, is that the vocals are simply boring! It's just no fun at all. Sure, he doesn't sing badly, but there's a definite lack of passion here. There are no ups or downs - it's all 'in-between' and that lets the side down massively. Still, it is the only real criticism one can make.

If you like a little thrash (and lets face it, you are reading RoomThirteen so I'll assume you do) you should pick up this little gem. It's fun, new and well put together. Sure, it's not going to take it's place beside Metallica's Justice or Slayer's "Reign in Blood" but if you either of these albums knocking around (and you should!) check these guys out.

Review by Ben Blundell

Source: http://www.roomthirteen.com/

Line up : Warpath, Insinerate, Unknown Fear & Shallow Intentions

Despite the news the beloved metal haunt 'The Turks' is closing, the vibe is electric and heads are ready to bang and horns held high and beer is flowing. Shallow intentions kick off the night with a unique blend of folk metal that surprised everyone, despite the lack of a bass player on the night, which at times caused a hollow sound, shallow intention marched forward playing a hardened black metal tinged blend of folk that got the crowd moshing and raising pints of real ale in appreciation. Covers of Finntroll & Ensiferium were thrown in for good measure proved a good choice & lead to a well deserved cheer at the end of their set.

Next up, the almighty unknown fear, a local thrash band that has under gone some recent line up changes which, in my opinion, has breathed a fiery metal breath of fresh air into the band & as a result their set is blistering. Unknown Fear have great stage presence and reminds me of being at thrash gigs of the late 80s. Heads are wildly wind-milling, limbs are thrashing and bodies flying. Unknown Fear have managed to combine the sound of early greats such as Destruction & Sodom with a modern edge akin to the mighty Kreator's latter day outings. The only negative I have to say is that their set broke frontman, Martin of Insinerate, and led to a trip to A & E which meant that Portsmouth's modern thrash 4 piece were unable to play.

Unable to see Insinerate play was to say the least disappointing, however, these things happen and Dave of Insinerate handed out their self produced, but I must concede very well presented, 5 track demo 'Burn Or Be Burnt'. I eagerly placed this in my cd player on the way home which only led to further feelings of disappointment that they were unable to play. Insinerate play heavy modern hook laden thrash with a surprising twist of old school style vocals which is very pleasing to the ear.

Next up, Warpath, supporting their debut release 'Damnation' (mastered by the legendary James Murphy) the set starts off with a few technical hitches due to the venue's pa, but are quickly resolved. Warpath sport the stage presence required & the crowd quickly buy into another instalment of old school thrash. Before long the heads are going again & even a bit of fist banging in amongst the chaotic brawl of the pit. Warpath play tight, speed thrash with plenty of riffs, solos & double foot peddle drumming that makes most metal heads moist. Richard Goss' vocals are short bursts of rhythmic bay area-esque anger that remind me of the truly brilliant nasty savage frontman nasty Ronnie. Warpath pummel through a 50 minute set leaving everyone sweaty and wanting more but alas time has been called. All in all a fantastic night and a great final thrash show for The Turks.

Necroripper

WARPATH - ''Damnation'' Unsigned 2008 Country: United Kingdom Genre: Thrash metal Band Website: www.warpath-online.com Killer Songs: ''Face to face'', ''Damnation'' Album length: 39:17 Rating: 9.5 / 10 *Translated from Polish*

Gorgeous, and everywhere boom for thrash metal has been also in Great Britain. After really exciting and awesome albums of Gama Bomb, Fatality, Deadfall and of course, the UK young thrash metal stars from Evile, now we have to try WARPATH. Original (but there was a band called Warpath from Germany) and really familliar name also provides oldschool and totally fantastic thrash. In a matter of fact, Britons have always been thrashing, once better, once worse. Britons love thrash metal, and they are not scared of playing raw, intense, and technical metal, just to mention groups like these I wrote on the beginning of my review - those freaks are willing to rule the thrash world... I am frank that WARPATH could be added to the most interesting groups of UK scene... or even, to the best ever. Young, technical skilled, and determined to rule, musicans mix Bay Area touch with the oldschool furious and brutal impact. What's the result? An interesting creation. These eight killer songs, play time only almost 40 minutes, are passing really fast, maybe to fast, but surely they make good impression. Good impressions is also an effect of massive and ultra clarity production. Listen to me everybody. Probably WARPATH spend all of their thrift to pay for the studio, in a fact, like this even dont sound the first debut of Evile. Just to compare James Murphy and Fleming Rasmussen they are both awesome sound engineers but Andy has done better job. Also in a case of fact that Evile signs to Earache after few demo albums is different than WARPATH. Probably after their first self-released material they (Warpath) should and must! sign to big label. Now we can make a deep analysis of WARPATH first material. How do they sound? Fresh, massive, agressive sometimes even bit progressive (a small ish) of fast paced thrash metal! Also WARPATH gives you a fucking tasty bonus to each track! Blistering, shredding and awesome solo riffs! Wow, look at the sentence ''self-realeased''. Is there a light in your head? No? Fuck, so just turn it on and think. Propably world is rude and brutal, because they are still unsigined, me personally think that in a nearest future they should sign with NUCLEAR BLAST or even METAL BLADE, and at last world will live in perfect harmony. Not without a reason I still write about Evile. There is one point which still reminds me Evile. Exacly singing style of Matt Drake, and Richard Goss. When I first heard WARPATH I have noticed they sound quite the same... or almost the same. But as fast as I noticed this fact I've also noticed my horribile mistake. Richard guitar playing is totally different than Matt's and by the way, who will be so fucked up to play in two young thrash metal acts? Probably nobody. So I made a horrible mistake, which almost immediately I have corrected. Britons have their own specific singing style and their British accent makes their voice very simillar. So that's all.... Now go to your record shop and get your own copy of ''Damnation!'' Fuck yeah! Thanks to Gregory Pindor and Metal Centre for the review. Source: http://www.metalcentre.com/webzine.php?p=reviews&nr=2916&lang=eng

July brings us a former featured band, Warpath, with their blistering debut album "Damnation". The album was mixed by Kevin Talley (Daath, Chimaera, Hate Eternal) and mastered by the metal icon James Murphy (Testament, Death, Obituary). "Damnation" delivers 8 tracks that raise the bar, setting a new standard for metal. From the first minute I hit the play button, I knew I was hearing something different and special. It's not often I hear a band that manages to pay homage to the roots of thrash, while at the same time showing true innovation and creativity.

Richard Goss and Pete Hawthorne deliver what can only be described as devastating guitar work, while Joel Jordan (Bass and Backing Vocals) and James Davenport (Drums) lay down a thunderous rhythm section that is in perfect time.

&Damnation" is the real deal, no frills, no catches, just the true metal being played the way it was always meant to be. Pure, raw, and in your face!

Please check out Warpath at www.warpath-online.com and be sure to watch the video for "Damnation".

Source: http://www.nocturnaleuphony.com/bandofmonth/warpath/damnation.php

'So young and so talented, Warpath will soon conquer the metal scene with killer riffs and solos. They're backed by some of metal's heavyweights; legendary guitarist James Murphy (Testament, Death, Obituary) mastered debut album Damnation at Kevin Talley's studio. "It was amazing to have your creation worked on by some of the biggest names in the genre and know they are listening to your craft and making a golden piece of work," commented lead guitarist Pete. Formed by frontman Richard Goss, the band released their demo CD 'Cataclysm' in December 2005, achieving airplay in Europe and America. For 'Damnation', they focused on writing faster, heavier and more complex material, whilst solidifying their line up come the end of last year. The boys are promoting the debut album across the UK and Europe, keeping track of feedback via their MySpace page. "We keep our profile as up to date as possible," says Rich. "The positive response to the new tracks on there has been phenomenal." A music video, created with Genertik Ltd, has been an important step in introducing Warpath to a wider audience. "Getting to work with Dave Kenny and Bruno at Genertik was a lot of fun. Those guys have an endless supply of energy. They've done a superb job with the video and I'm extremely happy with the result," says Rich. They already have plans for another video with Genertik. Catch Warpath storming the live circuit with fellow thrashers Sekhmet this summer in the UK.' Words: Samara Photos: c/o Warpath & Harlequin Photography www.alternativemag.co.uk

Myspace Top Artists

Genre: Thrash / Metal
Category: Unsigned
Number 1: Warpath

"Its about time I got this in the mail............and the wait was well worth it!" "These young U.K thrashers are going to get some serious business done with their new debut album "Damnation". This is another of the thrash re-vitalization crews popping up all over the world. And I have to say.....this is my favourite one so far! Alot of the young thrash bands are combining thrash with humor in the lyrics and riffing....see Gama Bomb, Bonded By Blood etc. Warpath are all business here...crushing thrash riffs in the early Testament, Exodus vein with awesome solos and tight sub-woofer pounding drums that sound like cannons. This may be in part to the mastering done by James Murphy (Testament, Obituary). Warpath could be the leading contender for the new thrash crown after this record...as they are only going to get better" "If you are into a mixture of explosive thrash riffing, barrages of double-bass mastery, and old-school sounding vocals (Violence etc.) then look no further!.....Go and buy this record.....Now!"

Metal Team UK Review: Warpath - Damnation (2008) Artist: Warpath Album: Damnation Type: Album Label: Self Released Review by: Lars Christiansen.

Just like the ambassador treats his dinner party guests with the fabled elixir like quality of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, the new school of thrashers have been 'really spoiling uzzz' with treat upon treat of the highest calibre thrash metal in recent years. The latest bunch of gritty lads to pull an album chock full of quality from the thrash hat is the U.K's very own Warpath. Literally seconds after pressing play, you're immediately transported back to the late 80's, white hi-tops, guitar solos on microphone stands and queues of slavering moshers waiting to dive from the rafters into a rabid circle pit. The guitar tone screams classic Metallica, the unhinged solos flail and whip around like early Testament and the riffs recall prime Vio-lence and Slayer. If that alone isn't enough to pique your interest, you've either become lost on this new fangled internet thing looking for www.disco-fever.com, or you're actually dead (and if it's the latter, congratulations on managing to access the internet, pretty impressive). There are similarities between Warpath and fellow U.K thrash-mongers Evile, which is understandable seeing as they undoubtedly draw influence from a lot of the same places, with the up-tuned buzzsaw guitar attack figuratively removing all that stubborn facial skin, muscle and tendons in an instant of the first few riff barrages. The drum work does a great job at keeping the up-tempo pace of the album, with a crushing sound, especially on the double bass which really gets the ornaments rattling that little bit closer to the edge of your shelves when played at the correct volume. Richard Goss' vocal work suits the music perfectly, with a distinctly venomous bite to his tone, he spits out all the favourite thrash metal lyrical topics, albeit with a modern day twist. But, as is usually the way with Thrash, it's the aforementioned riffs that grab hold of your attention the most, whether they're chugging you into submission or battering away at you with palm muted triplets, they never fail to leave you in rapture. So, there you have it folks - MTUK has found yet another album to add to your collection. Don't be embarrassed when your friends come over to find you're not up to speed on your new thrash releases — get this monster in there now to fill that gaping void right away. THRASH!! Source: http://www.metalteamuk.net/cdreviews-warpath.htm

"Damnation" CD UK Thrash Metal. Another explosion has come and this is fukin good!!! Mainly influenced by Evil Dead and Defiance this album is pure Thrash right in your face!!! Very good compositions making this band apart from many, you can hear influences from Nuclear Assault, Sacred Reich, Exodus's Bonded.." , Megadeth 's "Peace..", Flotsam & jetsam " No place.."Anthrax's "Spreading..." Slayer's "Season..." Metallica's "Justice" ... but after all this is Warpath's compositions you will discover and love from the first note 'till the end! this is so excellent you can't just play it once. Mastered by legendary James Murphy, this album's got all it takes to have another great Thrash Metal band to surprise and make this scene back to life!!! This is your next buy!!! Award 2008 for being so excellent!!! n so Thrash ;)

www.metalzoneprod666.com/ReviewsE

Warpath are the new standard of Thrash metal. Hellish guitar riffs will suck you in, and let you know this band is serious. They hail from the U.K. but are prepared for world domination. If you like your metal real and free of bullshit then Warpath is your band!

www.nocturnaleuphony.com/bandofmonth/warpath/warpath.php

Drag in the New Year, kicking and screaming, into a world of thundering discord and merciless onslaught. No, it's not the apocalypse, it's Warpath.
Following the break-through of their first E.P. 'Cataclysm', Warpath is about to unleash 'Damnation' upon us.

The band's high-energy music has already made itself known in the UK underground metal community, echoing the sound of its influences - bands such as Testament, Megadeth and Metallica - but with a fresh new dose of youth aggression.
Having developed rapidly from its roots in South Wales, guitarist/vocalist Richard Goss has sought out the incredibly talented lead guitarist Pete Hawthorne and extreme metal drummer James Davenport to complete the line-up. The result is a gripping intensity of explosive guitar riffs and formidable drum beats, packed with barrages of double-bass and taken to a metaller's paradise by some truly outstanding guitar solos and volcanic vocal layers, which retains both its quality and precision in all their live performances.

The new album, 'Damnation', which is said to be available from early February, contains four of their astounding new tracks.

Once the music has undergone the mixing process at Everlong Studios, Texas -- a Counter Strike Records project, founded by renowned drummer Kevin Talley [of DAATH, Chimaira and Hate Eternal amongst other great acts] and producer Orlando Villaseñor -- and is returned from the final stages of mastering -- undertaken by the expertise of legendary guitarist James Murphy [Testament, Death] --, we can be sure to grace our hi-fis with a level of thrash metal that surpasses all the current standards achieved in UK thrash metal.
-RAG.

For more info on Warpath and the new album, plus a variety of merchandise and much more, visit: www.warpath-online.com or: www.myspace.com/warpathuk

Full Thrash Assault @ The Snooty Fox, Wakefield – 23rd September 2006

Warpath struggle a little to follow Mutant with their more controlled, mid-paced approach not managing to hit the same levels of energy. However, it's a solid performance with 'Hostile Takeover' in particular managing to get a few heads nodding in appreciation.

Chris Kee - Zero Tolerance Magazine

Full Thrash Assault @ The Snooty Fox, Wakefield – 23rd September 2006

"The crowd thinned out a bit during Warpath, although this along with the technical problems encountered didn't deter them from ripping out a good set. Being quite familiar with the tunes which were taken from the Cataclysm E.P, I must say they exceeded all my expectations and the songs sound 10x better live than they do on CD. With well-crafted solos and crushing riffs, "Infernal" had to be the highlight of their performance. I imagine this band have a lot more in them than what we saw today and I look forward to hearing what they come up with on their next E.P."

Luci, Metal Team UK

The full review:

As a thrash metal fan, I'd say that I'm not the only one who occasionally hears comments from folk who claim that thrash metal is dead. "It was a trend in the 80's; it has had its day". True enough, there are young thrash fans out there who weren't around in the early 80's when the Bay Area scene was at it's prime, who sadly will never know just how good that day was when thrash metal reigned supreme, but the question is are there still enough believers in old school thrash metal to make an underground thrash revival a possibility?

Perhaps this day was part of the proof that thrash metal is alive and well. Perhaps there are metal heads under 20 out there who don't just believe that Trivium are the beginning, middle and end of metal, and proof that plenty of those who are old enough to remember the genre first time around don't cringe at the very thought of their old long hair and tape trading days. As small as this festival was in its birth year, people travelled from up and down the country to wreck their necks at a showcase of some of the best unsigned thrash bands the UK has to offer and that to me; if nobody else is proof that thrash metal is ready to push off the lid to its coffin!

By 3PM a crowd of die hard thrashers had already begun to surface, and Hallowed Point got them warmed up and in the mood for some serious head banging. With fast, aggressive riffing and Araya-esque vocals songs such as "Neckbreaker" encouraged the formation of the first pit of the day. Whilst their live performance is still very rough around the edges I would look forward to seeing what they can deliver in a years' time. There is definitely something missing from their sound, although I am certain that the addition of their new bassist will fill that musical void we have so far heard.

Mutant were next to play. Sadly, their drummer was unable to play due to illness and had Matt (Pitiful Reign) to stand in for him. The band only played for 20 minutes although for what they lacked in length they more than made up for with everything else. These guys are raw and uncompromising, and chug along at a speed that would leave Schumacher choking on dust! From the very second their front man Atom set foot on the stage it was like watching a mad man on drugs possessed by some kind of demon. As well as being a complete scream to watch, and it was obvious they were having fun on stage too which makes all the difference. One message to anyone reading this that was not at FTA'06; if you get the chance to see this band – make sure you do!

The crowd thinned out a bit during Warpath, although this along with the technical problems encountered didn't deter them from ripping out a good set. Being quite familiar with the tunes which were taken from the Cataclysm E.P, I must say they exceeded all my expectations and the songs sound 10x better live than they do on CD. With well-crafted solos and crushing riffs, "Infernal" had to be the highlight of their performance. I imagine this band have a lot more in them than what we saw today and I look forward to hearing what they come up with on their next E.P.

Well, what can be said about Evile? Perhaps it says it all that this is around my 15th time watching them and I'm still not bored to death of them. Tonight we were treated to yet another killer performance by these Yorkshire thrash metal heroes, as they stormed through all the classics, eventually being welcomed back for an encore by a frenzied crowd, finishing with fan favourite "Enter The Grave".

Pitiful Reign followed Evile with another awesome set. In The Pit is always a great song to get the crowd fired up before an onslaught of no-nonsense thrashing madness which you come to expect at a Pitiful Reign show; and a highly appropriate song in this situation as the pit looked pretty brutal from where I was stood while the crowd began slamming and stage diving. Pitiful Reign are a band with a bright future ahead of them if they carry on playing gigs like this one!

After much panic due to their train getting delayed and arriving only half an hour before they were due on, Headless Cross took to the stage. With a complete new line-up since their Thrash Till Death tour back in May, Headless Cross played stronger and better than ever. The guitarists all appeared to be on the same wavelength and Silver & co. delivered a tight set which was equally as good as many bands who have 10 years more experience. Their technical thrash may not be for everyone, but there are few unsigned British bands who can match up to them in terms of musicianship.

It was perhaps a strange choice to have the relatively unknown Enemy Unknown headlining the first Full Thrash Assault, although unfortunately due to poor transport links, about half of the audience had to disappear missing most of their set. Consequently, Enemy Unknown played to a small but welcoming crowd. These played a powerful and rather enjoyable set with some definite bay area thrash influence and vocals a la Kreator although with a modern edge to their sound. Enemy Unknown may not have been the highlight of the day, but they are certainly a band worth watching out for and those who stayed and watched their set I don't think they were too disappointed.

Luci

www.metalteamuk.net

A weekday. Famous for being dull and tiresome. However, the Thursday that lay upon the 7th of September was not an ordinary weekday. It was different because The Two Pigs was graced by the presence of Warpath for the second time. Warpath are an immense, at present 3 piece, Thrash-Metal outfit from Southern Wales.

Before the show started we heard a rumour that Warpath drummer, James Davenport, had blown not one, but TWO tyres on his journey! Nonetheless James turned up in good time and everything went according to plan (as far as we, the crowd, know any way!) Warpath topped the bill on that particular Thursday and a very justified position it was. They put on a spectacular performance; playing every song with huge amounts of energy, aggression and precision.

Their set started with the last track from the Cataclysm EP; "Infernal". This song was in fact chosen by Metal Team UK to be the backing track for an advert, and a great start to the set it was: nearly 6 minutes of pure fucking thrash - it caught the attention of those who weren't initially watching and psyched those who were waiting in anticipation.

Following this was another track from the Cataclysm EP; "Face To Face". Another energy fuelled song which got more and more heads nodding and feet tapping around the venue.

They then played a new song - which has no name as of yet, but it's to appear on the new CD which should be available in November I believe. If this song is anything to go by, the new CD will be a real fucking jaw-dropper!

The fourth song of the night is a personal favourite of mine; "Life Unworthy Of Life", This song is available on the EP and it's just absolutely epic! It's up there with, and in some cases better than, the masters! A song I thoroughly enjoyed singing along to the chorus of.

Then sadly the set had to come to an end with another blasting of unique Warpath thrash entitled "Hostile Takeover". Full of energy it perfectly brought the night to a close, leaving a big steaming imprint of "WARPATH" in the minds that just witnessed the down-right talented trio.

With nil fuck-ups the set sounded professional and to compliment that was a good band-to-crowd communication. The front-man, Richard, did a great job with introductions and presenting themselves, considering there was only about 5 people in the crowd that had heard them before. Although, turning down the guitar feedback helps when addressing the crowd. *chuckles*

Overall it was an un-surprisingly good night. It was my first time seeing Warpath but I couldn't possibly resist the urge to plug my air-guitar in and swing my head furiously. Speaking for everyone there; it was about time The Two Pigs showcased some decent metal bands again! I know a lot of people who won't forget Warpath's name.

I have every reason to believe they will make a career out of their passion for music and I wish them the best of luck and offer them all the support for the future.

Jack – Shattermouth Promotions

Artist: Warpath
Title: Cataclysm
Year: 2005
Type: EP

Production Review – 7/10
Music Review – 4/5

With a name such as Warpath you can only imagine one outcome. Total Destruction. And that is exactly what Warpath have provided in the just under 25minutes of Cataclysm.

Cataclysm is a decently recorded piece of work, only one major drawback, a slight lack of level in the kick drum department. Apart from that a decent recording.

The opening track Warpath is probably the weakest track on here and in one sense gave the band a mediocre introduction and would have been best left on the shelf. None the less a good track bearing all the hallmarks of good old thrash metal. Galloping riffs, overlaid vocal lines, guitar solos and drum beats that persuade a listener to nod in agreement. A track that reminded me of Obituary and German thrashers Destruction.

Moving swiftly onto the strongest track on here, Life Unworthy of Life, an excellent track with great use of dynamics and a chorus that is sure to capture any live audience. Again you can see from this track there has been an influence from Destruction and tastes of Canadian Thrashers Annihilator, early Sepultura and Megadeths Rust in Peace album.

Tracks dead by Dawn and Face to Face can only be described as textbook thrash, Slayer and Kreators Enemy of God may have played a part here with lyrics spoken in a threatening demeanour warning of death and destruction, savage riffage and kick in the teeth drumming with plenty of lockdowns to give way for the head bangers.

Infernal is a well placed ending track and the drumming on here is exceptionally good compared with the rest of Cataclysm. There's a great break in he middle with that Igor Cavalera drum line and only bass there as an accompaniment. A difficult feat to execute but Warpath do and it works, bringing the listener back for a rest and then clean back into the pit again for one final fight till the death.

Warpath have a lot of potential and if given the right opportunities could do well for themselves, as far as Cataclysm is concerned, get it, it was an enjoyable listen.

Andrew

www.metalteamuk.net

WARPATH
"Cataclysm"
( Self - released )

5 tracker from Swansea based 3 piece Warpath starts with an eponymously titled thrasher 'Warpath', which has pretty good riffs and is decently tight, but I struggle to get along with the vocals. To be honest this sounds more like a hardcore band trying to do a proper thrash band and with some of the riffs being really minimal, note wise, and the vocals having almost a rapped delivery, the band kind of get caught somewhere in between.

Noticeable influences and comparisons would be early Slayer, Megadeth, Clawfinger (with the vocals and patterns). I think the main problem with Warpath, as everything else is basically right, is pace. If there was a big stack of pace added to proceedings and a more powerful vocal maybe, I reckon the potency of the songs and the band as a whole would escalate, but as it is, they sound laboured and nothing beyond basic.
Good but needing plenty of tweaking.

Reviewed by Paul
Raw Nerve

WARPATH
"Cataclysm"
( Self - released )

I think that Warpath is a "good" name for a band, because there are more than four bands that use the same moniker... Anyway, here we have the latest demo CD from Warpath who hail from the United Kingdom. On this release, the band have included five tracks and almost twenty five minutes of pure heavy / thrash metal music. The band have written some really good and well worked compositions which have a modern air but also they have some elements from the classic heavy / thrash metal scene. From the opening track the band has begun to deliver some really good ideas in their songs and even if they aren't the most unique band in the world, in every track they give you something you find enjoying and satisfying. The production and the sound are impressive and you can listen clearly to all the elements on this demo with a very powerful rhythm section and some catchy touches on the guitar. Finally Warpath has paid a lot of attention on having a massive and recognizable sound in the guitars.

Reviewd by Antonis Maglaras
Behind The Veil

Warpath – Cataclysm (Self Financed)

Warpath (according to www.rockdetector.com) are at least the 5th band to bare the same moniker. They would appear, at least, to have been the first band from Swansea to have the name, which is something I guess. Now it's not everyday that I get a promo from a British Thrash band, and especially one that's a three piece. Formed in 2004, and featuring Goss (Vocals, guitar), Rag (Bass, backing vocals) and erm.. Luke O'Sullivan (maybe he got there too late for a nickname, Drums). Their blurb mentions that they've supported Brit bands Torsohorse and Along Came Man, though to be honest, that's something that I'd probably have kept quiet about.

Now, as any fool knows, Britain has never had much success with Thrash metal. When the rest of the world had Slayer, Kreator, Slaughter, Sepultura et.al., we had to do with sundry also-rans such as Slammer, Acid-Reign, Lawnmower Deth and Onslaught. Basically, only Sabbath were something that we could hold our heads up high to. Warpath, then, have a long and distinguished history of Thrash mediocrity to live up to. Alas, they fail, happily, by virtue of actually being quite good.

This is a five song e.p. Warpath have managed to knock out five decent tracks of modern sounding, classic Thrash influenced metal with more than a nod or two to the best of the American bands of "The Day". Songs are generally of a mid-paced tempo, with some nice rhythm work and nifty drumming, even having their own easy-to-chant Exodus like "Dead By Dawn" half way through the release. Sure, so a riff or two might have had more "influence" than others (I could count maybe 4 or 5 riffs that sound suspiciously like riffs we all know and love, and best not mention that "Take No Prisoners" section, eh lads?), but it never really becomes a case of plagiarism. Old school thrash heads are going to lap this up like George Galloway at Rula Lenska's leotard. Big, fat, crunchy all-taste, none of the fat riffs piled on each other with gay abandon. The production, courtesy of Andy Coughlan, who they tell me is in Gary Numans band (I actually thought he was dead – you live and learn eh?) is damned impressive for a demo, being clear and precise throughout, and particularly emphasising the fine guitar and drum work.

Personally, I think I'd have reduced Goss' voice in the mix. He has a good go of it, but frankly, his voice is weaker than Hammerfalls image. No amount of passion is going to lift a shit voice out of being a shit voice. I know, being cursed with a voice like two cats being stapled together. Overall, a great package and definitely a band to look out for. My advice chaps? For the next recording, be a four piece (add a vocalist!).

Reviewed by Chris Davison
Live4Metal.com

Issue 10 March/April 2006

[Click for fullsize]

[Click for fullsize]

WARPATH: "Cataclysm"
( Self - released )

Warpath has released a 5 track EP, and the producer is Andy Coughlan from Gary Numan's band. Even though they say that their main inspiration comes from legacies of groups such as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Death and Testament, in my opinion the thrash approach is equally present in their sound as the 80's metal. As a trio, Warpath sound pretty compact and coherent. In some moments, they seem to remind me of NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) acts, specifically late Gaskin or Terraplane, but certainly on the other side their approach is close to Bay Area groups coming out from the mid 80's. They have created an interesting mix, and I have to mention tracks: "Life Unworthy Of Life" and "Face To Face", in my opinion as a convincing part of the complete material. "Cataclysm" has introduced Wales' fellows as a promising act with expanding performing potential.

Rating : 8 / 10

Translated from Serbian. Original review can be found here

WARPATH - CATACLYSM (23:49 min.)

EIGENPRODUKTION / UK-IMPORT

Aus dem walisischen Seebad Swansea stammt das Thrash-Trio Warpath, welches sich 2003 um den Sänger und Gitarristen Richard Goss formierte und mit „Cataclysm" seine erste Eigenproduktion vorlegt. Recht raubeinigen Thrash spielen die Jungs auf dieser 5-Track EP, bei dem vor allem der abgehackt klingende Gesang auffällt. Von den alten Bay Area-Thrash Groups wie Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth und Testament sieht man sich beeinflusst, wobei ich persönlich die Richtungsanzeige eher in Richtung rauerem US- als auch altem UK-Thrash ausschlagen sehe. Onslaught weisen da beispielsweise einige Parallelen im Sound auf, während ich die Verwandtschaft zu den wesentlich melodischeren Testament (Gitarren und Gesang) nicht unbedingt erkennen kann. Aber für ein Trio hört sich die Musik der Waliser sehr kompakt an. Zwar kann ich „Cataclysm" – insbesondere bei dem Wechselkurs des britischen Pfund – nicht uneingeschränkt empfehlen, aber Warpath dürften definitiv zu den besseren Bands des Insel-Thrash gehören, wenngleich mir die englische Konkurrenz von Headless Cross noch einen Tick besser gefällt. Aber für eine erste Eigenproduktion lässt sich der zumeist schleppende Thrash-Sound gut an. Derzeit sucht die Band übrigens nach einem zweiten Gitarristen um den Sound aufzufüllen. Keine schlechte Idee, die mich noch neugieriger auf das nächste Produkt der Band macht. Reinhören und ordern könnt ihr die CD-R auf http://www.warpath-online.com , wenngleich mein Lieblingstrack, der Opener „Warpath", leider nicht als Download verfügbar ist.

6/10 – SBr

Obliveon – German Metal and Gothic Magazine

So With Swansea Laying Broken And Battered In Its Wake The Mighty Warpath Descended Upon The OASIS CLUB, To Support Scuzz TV Metallers 'TORSOHORSE'(Bloody Nice Bunch Of Guys!)

The Venue Had Sold Out And The Beer Been Flowing (Or In My Case The Bow & Black) Since Around 4-Ish, As We Awaited My 1st Promotion Gig!

Both Bands Were Psyched Up For The Night And With Sound-checks Complete The 8 O'Clock Opening Time Approached, After An Hour Set From Resident DJ Hell'n Warpath Approached The Stage!

I Watched The Set From The Side Of The Stage And The Sound Was Clear And Fucking Amazing! Justin Baited The Crowd And Reeled Them Right In! The Baying Crowd Demanded Some Slayer (The Mighty Slayer!) On Occasion, Warpath May Break Out Into Their Amazing Cover Of Reign In Blood. But No, Not Here, Not Now ''No No, We Are Not A Cover Band, We Are WARPATH!'' Justin Retorted To Their Pleas.

The Set List Was Awesome; Favourites Including ''Face To Face'' '' Warpath'' ''Dead By Dwyer *Ahem* I Mean Dawn''...Sorry...On That Point, Though I Wonder If The Band Enjoyed The Dwyeresque Fist Movements In The Pit!

Goss Kept His Hair Swinging Throughout The Set Despite Not Feeling Too Good And Got A Cheer On The Now Customary Removal Of The Shirt Lol....Needless To Say The Rest Of The Band Followed This Ritual Shortly After.

Rag Was Amazing, Working In Perfect Harmony With Goss's Master Axemanship. As Usual, There Were No Fuck Ups, They Seem More Professional Each Time I See Them (This Is The Sixth Gig) And I'm Sure That Raises A Few Eyebrows....*Winks* And The Mighty Sticksman Lukey Sixx (LOS) Pounded The Fuck Out Of His Kit With A Scary Pace! (He Just Gets Faster Everytime I Catch Them) If It Gets Faster The Kit Will Smoke I Swear It...

In A Moment Of Greatness Warpath Trialled The As Yet Untitled New Song (Title Suggestions On The Warpath Forum) Which The Crowd Went Fucking Crazy For, It Ruled! With More Work To Perfect It, It Will Slot So Well Into The Set, And Become A Fan Favourite, I'm Sure!

Can't Wait For The Summer Gigs With Torsohorse Guys, We'll Get That All Booked Up In The Coming Weeks!

Thrash Is On It Way Back, Mark My Fucking Words!

noRmi

Let me be the first to congratulate the whole band on an excellent gig tonight. It was a fully professional act. The stage presence and polish shone through. Justin established a great crowd rapport (even though it was a bit small) and the whole set went off like a speeding train!!
A great first English gig! Here's to many more (takes a swig of his beer)

Cheers

Sully

I Had Been Waiting For This Gig For What Seemed Like An Age, After Hearing A Various Sample Tracks Off The Site And From Un-named Goth Wenches (In - Joke), I Talked To Goss Upon Arrival (Fucking Nice and Genuine Guy!) He Was A Bit Pissed At The Sound - Tech Guy For Being To God Damned Lazy To Switch Kits, Meaning Luke Had To Use The EMO kit! Arghhh!! But Hell I Was Sure It Would Still Be Awesome Even With Inferior EMO Equipment Lol...Damn Those Lil´ Crying Bitches....

The Band Took The Stage And Looked Cool As Fuck, Goss's Skull B.C Rich Totally Rules!! They Looked Professional Thoughout The Entire Performance....Justin Is Has An Awesome Stage Presence And Is A Definate Class Act Frontman, Comanding And Beckoning The Ever Increasing Audience...A Whole Round Miracle Considering The Mainly EMO Environment ! (The Fuckers Are Like Rats Or Summit I Swear).

The Drums Took A Major Fucking Pounding Too And Rag Kept The Bass At The Right Level. You Would Swear These Guys Were 10 Year Touring Pro's!

A Small Pit Broke Out Infront Of The Audience; Hair Swinging, Head Cracking, Whiplash Inducing Mayhem!!! (Heh, Coulda' Done With More Joining In *Frowns At Emos*) I, Of Course Was In Full Flow In The Pit - As Any Hardcore Metaller Would Have Been! (Even Fake Swansea Scab - Goth Wannabes Would Have Been Enwrapped In The Riotious Thrashings Of Warpath!!)

Hell There Was Even Chanting For The Track ''Dead By Dawn'' (Always Reminds Me Of The Awesome Sam Raimi Classic Sequel - So Much So In Fact, That I'm Viewing It As I Write)...I Was Pleased To See That Almost The Whole Venue Even Though Obviously Not Into The Thrash Stylings Of The Band Were Mesmerised And Eyes Front!! You Couldn't Help But Be Impressed!!

All In All I Fucking Loved The Gig And Wish I Could Have Stayed For Drinks And A Chat - But There Will Be A Next Time For Sure!! I Recommend Warpath Live To Anyone Who Likes Metal (Even False And Fickle Christians), They Will Both Entertain And Keep You On Your Feet!

Only Problem I Had With Tonight's Performance Being It Was Not Allowed To Be Long Enough! Which I'm Sure The Band Are Really Pissed About, But Hey They Will Own Bigger Venues In Years To Come!! Hope To Book You Up For K-Unit's Awesome 'Fab And Kinkey@TJ's' Newport In The Summertime! Lots Of Work For Me To Do Before Then!

noRmi

Unlike the other set ups of the night this one worked very well. The lead singer was down off the stage which made him very interactive and a part of the audience (mind you, there wasn't much room on the stage). They opened with a lovely mellow song, it really showed off the singers' voice. And now, what I've been waiting for; the heavier stuff, which is what I wanted to hear all bloody night! And you can guarantee I'll be back for more, they're great! There was a problem with the mic, but a miracle happened and they swapped mic's. Very talented musicians I must say. The guitarist with his AMAZING technique! Yet another superb drummer, and a very cute bassist (also good technique). They were so good that I bought a CD which they signed apart from Goss the guitarist....I will hunt you down. I took it back to my friends flat and listened to it with the people who couldn't make it and you can guarantee that you will see more of my crazy friends (even though Justin the singer knows one of them really well, Pughie). You can bet I´ll be fan for long time to come Review by Jazz (www.paintedbydeath.tk)

Wilcox: SSSIIIEEEEGGGEEEE!!! Confident as fuck. This band got a lot of respect from the crowd now where pits were developing and Jaco was getting his ass kicked. I Saw them in the Heathcliffe and they were very impressive, but with just the one guitarist and the backing vocals, it seemed so much more musical. Headlining band - and they fucking well deserved it.

D.S.A: Awesome, with a capital wow. Practically everyone's heard them and / or seen them, so I can't say much, but they impressed me to say the least. Christ Justin's tall.