Xenos is a thrash metal band from Italy formed in 2018 by bass player and singer Ignazio Nicastro. Inspired by thrash metal bands such as Megadeth, Xentrix, Annihilator and Slayer, the band released their debut album ‘Filthgrinder’ in 2020. The band’s sophomore album ‘The Dawn Of Ares’ was released in 2021.
With razor-sharp riffing, devastating drumming, bone-shaking bass playing, and vicious vocals, the new album is gonna bish bash bosh the senses with a savagery that’s gonna need emergency medical attention! Nine songs are spread over a ferocious forty-five minutes, all coming to life with the mid-paced roughness of ‘I Am The Machine’. Highly reminiscent of early Venom – the iconic UK metallers – ‘I Am The Machine’ storms on with a savage intent first heard on ‘Filthgrinder’. It’s good to hear the band hasn’t mellowed, as the aggressive nature of their debut was one of its major highlights.
‘All Shall Fall’ picks up the pace and intensity, aggressively marching forward with savage guitars slicing the atmosphere – an atmosphere heavy with menace. Xenos has taken the brutal nature of both German and American thrash metal and sewn it into their sound – indeed not a bad move.
The title song, ‘The Dawn Of Ares’, clocks in at over eight minutes in length, making it by far and away the longest song on offer. Featuring a Megadeth-style intro of razor-sharp riffing and aggressive, in-your-face vocals, ‘The Dawn Of Ares’ (the song) morphs into an astounding roller coaster of Megadeth come Slayer come to Kreator thrash. Definitely one of the highlights on this album.
Picking up the pace and bustling forth at speed, ‘Circle Of Lies’ is an out-and-out thrasher, with harsh head banging the order of the day, Xenos finally letting loose and allowing their many fans, and new ones, to stretch their neck muscles. Layering the album in menace, ‘Shields’ is a gruff and rough amble of Testament-like aggression, picking up speed and fairly scorching the Earth as it hurtles by. There is definitely a more varied array of thrash here than on the bands debut – a definite sign of growth.
The scorching pace remains as ‘Interceptions’ blisters past in a furious frenzy of blazing riffs. And seemingly, the album is getting faster and faster the more it runs, which is bloody great for the mosh pits! And keeping the pace high but returning a Megadeth-style riffing, ‘The Prophet’ is blunt, brash, and one hundred per cent in your face. The mean and moody style of thrash is abrupt and stone cold – the variety Xenos are showing is great, roaming around every corner of the thrash metal genre. ‘Still To The Front’ brings a mellowness to the album not heard before, meandering like a Sunday afternoon stroll. And then a very heavy, doom-meets-thrash explosion, and ‘Still To The Front’ becomes a slumbering, knuckle dragging foot stomper. Bringing the album to a close is the fast and furious ‘The Healer’. Encompassing the styles of Venom, Megadeth, Slayer, and Kreator, ‘The Healer’ is a very good end to a very good album.
Overall, a varied array of thrash, ranging from brutal and savage to mean and moody to fast and mid-tempo, ‘The Dawn Of Ares’ is a very addictive listen.
TRACKLIST
I Am The Machine
All Shall Fall
The Dawn Of Ares
Circle Of Lies
Shields
Interceptors
The Prophet
Still To The Front
The Healer
Xenos: Facebook
Release Year: 2021
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Italy
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
