Hidden Intent – Fear, Prey, Demise (Album Review)

It’s difficult to pinpoint when thrash music started. Was it Lemmy’s rumbling bass line at the beginning of title track Motörhead? Was it the driving and incessant pace of Steve Harris’s self-titled Iron Maiden debut album? Was it the time when Cliff Burton said he would only join Metallica if the LA upstarts relocated to San Francisco?
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I’m not sure however all three of these moments have one thing in common. Bassists driving the sound.

Hidden Intent’s Second album ‘Fear, Prey, Demise’ came out earlier this year on the back of supporting bands like Anvil and Destruction, two iconic thrash bands in their own right. What was to be expected from a band that’s been working hard, not only on the Australian circuit but overseas too?

Opening the album is ‘Prey For Your Death’, a brutal old school blast of metal. Driven by the aforementioned bass, the albums first video makes you fully aware this is a no holds barred thrash band.

Similarly, the second song ‘Addicted To Thrash’ is what it says of the tin, already a crowd favourite at the band’s chaotic live shows, this is a step up from earlier works while staying true to their core.

Drop Bears Are Real’, continues this theme with some classic Anthrax style sounds involved however the band are not always balls to the wall, kick you in the crotch, spit in your face thrash. ‘Seeds Of Hate’ slows the pace down a tad to really compliment what new drummer Paul Lewis brings to the band, while Phil Bennett guitar work is a step above what’s been produced before, with the track finishing with a lovely acoustic outro.

Waiting Here In Hell’ though is a brooding slower number, with heavy deep riffs, the melodic guitar work complimenting the eerie solemn sound before the riff smashes in. This song showing the band is more than just thrash metallers. This is the song that screams to be played at a bigger venue than a club. Smoothly done.

Before we start thinking the band has, God forbid, ‘sold out’ comes that staple of any thrash metal bands attire, the 8 mins epic, ‘Apocalypse Now’, once again driven by Chris McEwan bass and guitars is classic thrash. It has a sweeping solo, major drum fills, galloping bassline and epic melodies.

Eternal Rest’ is the perfect air drum song, while ‘Petrified’ is slow, full of driving beats and riffs. It’s on these songs the band have gone further than just playing faster than everyone else standard thrash.

The album finishes with ‘Imminent Psychosis’, a great epitaph for how the band has evolved it’s sound, showcasing that some of this album best moments are when the speed isn’t dialled up to 100mph.

There’s nothing hidden about Hidden Intents’ intention.
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It’s to be Australia’s premium thrash metal band. They work hard, play harder than most, constantly touring, now they have an album to truly push them to the next level.

Hidden Intent: Facebook

Release Year: 2018
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia

Reviewed by Iain McCallum