The Pharaoh

A great first single from a relatively new band - the riffs are killer, it's structured really well, the playing is tight and clean. Guitars are done especially well (including bass, which as expected is more foundational than anything). The production is high end for such a new band and it's done quite well however it almost sounds too polished; the drums and guitars sound amazing but the vocal production doesn't really fit their drier sound - quite bright but compressed, it could punch more, especially in the breakdown. The solo is well-played, Kirk Hammett esque pentatonic stuff, nothing too special but good nonetheless. The breakdown at the end hits hard, done in an almost pantera style, love it but wish it went on longer and I think it could have been developed more, leading to a stronger outro. I like the track but I think that it could have something more to it that makes is unique, again a very very strong start for a good band. The aesthetic as a whole is awesome don't get me wrong - it sounds so 80's in a good way, as the title says, would have absolutely killed in '86 but that might be the track's downfall, it doesn't really develop on that style - a great style that is done very well but tracks like this tend to blend in with each other, I like it but I don't think it stands out. Despite it maybe sounding generic, overall a really solid track, I would recommend it to any fan of mid 80's thrash, I enjoy it and consider it a good start for the band.