For Whose Advantage?

I should've given Xentrix more credit for being so visionary. 1989's Shattered Existence somehow has a wojak meme on the cover, and For Whose Advantage predicted Rishi Sunak becoming Prime Minister! The resemblance is kind of astounding, right down to the little details, like his hands being made out of money. Beyond the cover, this album also contains a sensational collection of invigorating riffs, fascinating setpieces, and political lyrics that don't make me want to immediately snip my ears off with pruning shears. Which is just as well, since they're probably banned in the UK.

Much like what Seventh Angel's Lament for the Weary did for their debut album The Torment, For Whose Advantage? represents a huge leap in songwriting complexity and maturity. Compositions actually justify their longer runtimes with unique and engaging structures that vary in tempo and time signature. At parts, this album is damn close to full on technical thrash, like how 'False Ideals' initially fakes you out with a slowrolling chug-heavy intro, only to morph into an upbeat groove machine a la Mezzrow or Intruder. This album actually shares a ton in common with A Higher Form of Killing, most overt in the furious rapid-fire riffing of 'Black Embrace' which reminded me of Intruder's 'Genetic Genocide'.

Guitar tone is similar to Shattered Existence, albeit a tad more polished. Bass is also a little squishier and slappier this time around, too, which I have no issue with. Both 'Kept in the Dark' and the title track are introduced with clean, progressive bass-led passages, which necessitated downplaying the fried bass tone Shattered Existence had. If you were to put a knife to my throat and ask what my favorite bass riff is, I would probably say either Saxon's 'Bavarian Beaver' or the beginning of 'For Whose Advantage?'. Not only that, but 'New Beginnings' also serves as a sensationally well-delivered acoustic cooldown, which reminded me of Sacred Reich's 'If Only', more known by its full title, 'If Only the Rest of Independent Didn't Suck'.

A massive step-up from Shattered Existence it may be, but it still isn't perfect. I find the cover of 'Running White Faced City Boy' about as incoherent as Artillery's 'Razamanaz', or any of those weird, "ironic" covers that kept cropping up in the twilight years of old school thrash metal. Exodus's 'Lowrider' still takes the cake, I think. In addition, I could never fully get down with Xentrix's vocals. In my previous Xentrix review, I said they sound like those Motörhead wannabe bands like Rogue Male and Mad Dog, and they don't sound much different here. Perfectly competent, mind you, just not very compelling. But hey, as an overall package, this album is still great, verging on fantastic. For Whose Advantage?, they ask? Fans of high-energy melodic thrash metal, of course.