It’s been five long years since Richmond’s Battlemaster blazed a bloody trail of blackened thrash through the Virginia state capital. If you’re unfamiliar with this particular metallic battalion, know that their bio includes the words “fantastickal,” “thrashery” and half-dozen others immediately flagged by my spellcheck. But also know that their new LP, Ghastly, Graven, Grimoireles, drops June 26 via hometown heroes Forcefield Records and is a total fucking blast. We’ve got the first new track, “Black Challenge,” for you below but, first, an appropriately nonsensical quote from the band, for, um, context.
“You must enter the sullen torments of your mind, run that grueling gauntlet and decide whether you are ferally wicked enough to survive this — that supreme championship of evil speed metal, the ‘Black Challenge.'”
For more info on pre-orders, check in with Forcefield Records right here.
