Unforeseen Consequences

Stormspell Records' promotional materials for this album describe Terravore as "classic thrash-o-death metal" and proclaim them to be "Eastern Europe's answer to Kreator, Revenant, Brutality, etc." I have to admit that I was particularly surprised to see a comparison to Revenant, who are a fairly obscure band name to be dropping in this day and age. I remember them because they were from my local area (Northern New Jersey) and they opened shows for pretty much every thrash and death metal band that came through town during their heyday in the late '80s/early '90s. Was Revenant particularly popular in Terravore's native Bulgaria back in the day? Who knows? Either way, I give them kudos for their taste in vintage Garden State metal! Terra-Who?

Anyway, Unforeseen Consequences is the debut full length from Terravore, who've been together since 2015 and have a previous EP and demo release under their studded belts. The band members' resumes include stints in other Bulgarian bands with names like Mass Cremation, Abduction, and Belgarath -- none of whom sound familiar to me, but maybe they mean something to those of you who follow the Eastern European metal scene. Terravore are all about re-creating the sound of old-school extreme metal, and listening to this album is like opening a time capsule from 1989. Everything about Unforeseen Consequences - from its gloriously schlocky, gory, comic-book style cover artwork depicting a scientific experiment gone horribly wrong, to song titles like "Carbonized Corpses" and "Spectrum of Death," will immediately put the listener in a "throwback" state of mind.

Unforeseen Consequences kicks off with the fangs-bared thrasher "Lethal Vaccine," and right away the band shows off their reverence for the aforementioned Kreator, as well as Slayer and maybe even a pinch or two of mid-period (pre-Roots) Sepultura. Like all of those bands, Terravore handily straddles the line between thrash & death metal throughout the album's nine cuts. The music is properly speedy and ultra-violent enough to satisfy both camps, but while the vocal work by Kalin Bachvarov is certainly harsh-n-snarly enough (ala Kreator's Mille Petrozza) to appeal to death-heads, they never quite descend into the full on growly death metal "BLURRRRRGH" style, which should make this band listenable to the thrash crowd as well.

The oddly titled "Vigor Leech" (?) features a particularly frenzied rhythm bit that should inspire its share of old-school mosh pit action, while the lyrics to the utterly bad-ass "Terror Doctrine" eviscerate the maniacs in the Middle East. I assume that the title "Of A Dying World" is intended as a salute to the fellas in Revenant, whose 1991 album was called Prophecies of a Dying World, but it's not a cover of that song, as I originally thought. (Though to be honest, I had to re-visit the Revenant track on YouTube to be absolutely sure, since it's been years since I heard it.)

A five-minute instrumental workout titled "Catatonia" gives guitarist Ivan Lazarov and drummer Trendafil Trendafilof (yes, seriously) a chance to show off their impressive chops and leads into the crushing final track, "Spectrum of Death (Unforeseen Consequences)," which is a six-minute-plus epic of ripping riffs, raging vocals and slamming pit-friendly rhythms that end the album on a high note.

Unforeseen Consequences is a slightly more "extreme" release than I'm used to hearing from Stormspell Records, who usually deal with bands that are more in the melodic speed and power metal vein, but Terravore's retro thrash vibe definitely fits within the label's legendary "Stuck in the '80s and Proud of It!" mindset. While Terravore certainly aren't breaking any new ground within the thrash or death genres, they're a well oiled, brutal bunch who know how to carve an impressive swath of musical mayhem. If you've worn out your old cassettes of Slayer's Hell Awaits or Kreator's Pleasure to Kill, Terravore's Unforeseen Consequences would make for a pretty damn fine 21st century upgrade.

“Varna, Bulgaria’s” very own “Terravore” presented to the masses on “November 10, 2017” their debut full-length CD release entitled “Unforeseen Consequences”, with the initial release available digitally via their “Bandcamp” page, which will also be available in early 2018 on cassette via “Heathen Records” & CD via “Stormspell Records”.

When I say “debut full-length” release, I need to say that “Terravore” has both an “EP” release entitled “Apocalyptic Impact” in 2016, a “Single” release entitled “Lethal Vaccine” in 2017, a “Compilation CD” appearance via “Malevolence Records” with “Abominable Rancor”, also in 2017. And all released in just under three years of their incarnation. To say the least, the lads in “Terravore” have been quite busy. Busy by trying to make a name for themselves, getting their music spread to the masses & heard, & trying to make a name for themselves. An impressive stint, so far.

Needless to say, but will say it anyways & that is “Terravore” are a great fucking band! With what I believe are gaining momentum as they are becoming much tighter musically as a band with each release. You take all this & add in the fact that “Terravore” were able to come across someone who did a really great job in the production & engineering department, & “voila”, I am starting to see & hear some potential really unleashed amidst “Terravore”.

I had a chance to review “Terravore’s – Apocalyptic Impact” EP and a demo entitled, “Spectrum Of Death”. This is just one example that reinforces what I said in the last paragraph. But here’s the clincher, listen to their “Starkiller” official lyric video, or their “Carbonized Corpses” official lyric video, or even their “Lethal Vaccine” official lyric video, versus say their whole “Apocalyptic Impact” EP and case fucking closed in my opinion & wholeheartedly believe you can hear the differences from then to the present-tense.

Moving on a bit here, the “Unforeseen Consequences” CD seems to start off a bit slowly I think, (which is not a bad thing here). Because it is a gradual climb from the intro track of “Lethal Vaccine” & starts to really take the fuck off at “Terror Doctrine” & “Carbonised Corpses”. with an even keel across the rest of the CD closing with the “Spectrum Of Death (Unforeseen Consequences) track. Take special note to the instrumental track of “Catatonia”! Not too many instrumental tracks ever catch my attention. This one sure as hell does & in my opinion defines “Terravore” musically. Very well orchestrated & stellar performance. Job well done.

With just over forty-five minutes in total run-time (which I think is the perfect full-length CD length), some may say that “Terravore” sound too much like “Kreator”? Some may even say that they’re a “Kreator” rip-off? Personally, I don’t think they are a rip-off but do sound a lot like “Kreator”, or very much emulate them. But the correlation does not sound bad & can hear the differences between both. And then again this may be who “Terravore” are heavily influenced by? Besides, I can think of a lot worse bands nowadays to sound like, copy, emulate, & or even rip-off for that matter. And “Kreator” ain’t one of them! To each their own I suppose?

Some pits, or dips, or even downfalls lets say that are on “Unforeseen Consequences” are some areas that some repetitive & directionless rhythms here & there. Not a whole helluva lot, but some. Its almost as if they’ve gotten lost musically, need to grow a little bit more, & expand on some horizons. But seriously this will all come in time & doesn’t happen overnight. Until then I feel “Terravore” are making great strides in this direction & taking these steps with release to release. I’d see keep up the good work & a job well-done guys!

Review by Nathan McLeod of Malevolence Records