Revenge of Souls

Costa Rica isn't often thought of as a hotspot for thrash metal bands, but Killer Souls is actually one of the best thrash bands of the modern era. They have a full-length that absolutely shreds, but this EP isn't a slouch either. Comprised of five real tracks and an intro that's basically just gunfire, the band stitches together a pretty entertaining set of thrash metal songs.

The chemistry between Anthony Umaña on rhythm guitar and Alex Jiménez's stellar bass work is really what drives these songs. This is heard first and foremost on "Fucking Old School," the first non-instrumental track and this song absolutely kicks ass. The solo is compact and fun too, and the band toys with a bunch of different rhythms as the guitar cries on this epic solo. The band's playing sounds very cohesive and the songwriting is just impeccable! There are so many clever drum fills on this thing that add a lot to the music, even if they're small details themselves.

In many ways, though, this EP is more than just a sum of its parts. The way the band members feed off of each other is pretty remarkable, as the distorted guitar effects contrast the easygoing drumming pretty nicely on "Burning Your Church." Vocalist Edgar Muñóz sounds hungry and evil on this EP as well, not quite crossing into death or extreme metal territory but still on the border, and definitely much harder and more intense than most of what's in thrash. This release is packed with great ideas and the band executes the majority of them very well. The songwriting and production are definitely standout aspects, which is not seen very often for an EP from a relatively obscure thrash band in the 2010s. For how little recognition this band probably gets, it's amazing how dedicated they sound to their craft.

This is easily one of the most interesting thrash EPs from the 2010s, and it's quite incredible that this band doesn't have more fans than they do. In the 'eighties, a song like "This Is the End" would have been a surefire hit, and this EP would have gotten them a major record deal without a doubt. Hopefully more people will check them out so they can keep delivering awesome music.