Roll of Dice

Thrash metal from Greece is always coming with high hopes and I am glad to say that I have not been left disappointed. Thraz have just released their debut full length “Roll of Dice” and while this band has been unknown to me the two band members George and David are also part of other great bands like Emerald Sun, Dimorfia or Sarissa, so while technically a new outfit one can expect a certain level of professionalism.

Face melting riffs and lightning fast drumming delivered with precision and enthusiasm is what is on offer here. The main chops do not deviate too much from what the Bay Area heroes have already presented to the metal maniacs of the 80s and 90s. That being said Thraz implemented a few small twists and subtle variations to the familiar staccato chords by going up or down a keynote within the scale or shortly touching a trademark riff of a song again at another occasion.

The crunchy heaviness of the rhythm guitar is pitched against some fantastic harmonies of the lead guitar, lending the whole affair a very uplifting atmosphere. The two guys have a great feeling for hooky riffs and catchy refrains, making each song just pure fun from start to finish. The songwriting is straight and on point without coming across as being simple or boring. There are some really cool soloing sections but those parts are never overdone, and they have been perfectly embedded into the flow of the respective songs. The same can be said about the drumming, which serves as backbone to the music without being too chaotic or hectic at any point in time.

The lead vocals by David are perfectly fitting the instrumentation. Switching between an angry mid ranged tone and a few well-placed high screaming parts he delivers with a lot of passion and intensity. His pronunciation is actually pretty good compared to some other singers who are not native English speakers as well. The lyrics can be perfectly understood.

The productions is powerful and punchy. The mix is clear and transparent without sacrificing the rawness that is needed for that kind of music. No details are buried in the mix and also the bass is fully audible. So in case you are looking for another solid slab of good old thrash madness “Roll of Dice” might be worth a look.