Propaganda

2020 has been a bit of a weak year for thrash metal, at least this has been my impression. There have been a few highlights, but overall the huge highlights seem to be missing. Enter the German act War Agenda who have just released their second full length “Propaganda” on the French label Great Dane. Attacking with two guitarists these lads show how it is possible to carry on the flame of traditional thrash metal, while offering a modern and fresh take on the genre and show some great talent in the instrumentation department.

While the gentlemen have a grasp of how to use their instruments, this is not the kind of muddle-headed techno thrash full of complex polyrhythms which needs a lot of spins before an average listener is able to grasp what is going on. No, War Agenda are very much hailing of the altar of bands like Testament and other US greats, as well highlighting their German roots by adding an extra portion of Teutonic power. Tracks like “Silence of Justice” are a perfect showcase of what makes this kind of music so enjoyable, with the band playing straight-to-the-bone without sounding too simplistic.

Despite having a pretty polished and modern sound on the surface their music has a certain rawness and just enough grit that sets them apart from other similar bands and keeps the spirit of their old heroes. The riffing is powerful and there is a lot of variation to keep things interesting. The interplay between the hard-hitting basis chords and the lead elements works as powerful combination and gives the music the right balance between heaviness and melodies.

The guys have a good feeling of implementing enough catchiness to make the music quite accessible without crossing the border to cheesiness. We are still talking about classic thrash metal here. The guitar work is quite traditional in places and more chugging in others. War Agenda have added a few twists in the songwriting with breaks where I did not expect them or well-timed tempo and rhythm changes. The vocals are powerful, and a lot of the chorus parts are very memorable and energetic.

So depending on what you are expecting “Propaganda” might be a real gem. If you go into this album without expecting anything particularly new, but a nice and modern interpretation of well-working attributes from the past you might something highly enjoyable.