From the first thrashing sprint of “Deadly Revenge,” Norwegian speed-demons Evoke deliver the fiery fury promised by the record’s demonic cover art. Seeds of Death is the band’s debut after sharpening their fangs on a couple demos, and it brims with exuberant brimstone. Luckily for you, Decibel Magazine has an exclusive stream of this superlative slash ‘n’ dash offering ahead of its official release. Pulverized Records will be repping this record and releasing it for global consumption on September 18th.
By the time you reach the third track “Souls of the Night,” you know the only rules Evoke follow are Sarcófago’s The Laws of Scourge. There’s a wild-blooded energy to Seeds of Death that makes the heart pump black blood faster and faster. But they’re not content to just race the devil to the finish line in every song. Sure, “Wrathcurse” has plenty of fret-flaying speed riffs. But over the course of its 6+ minutes, there’s a dizzying array of tempo shifts to keep the listener engaged. “Demons of War” returns to the warfare noise of South American thrash. But album finale “Satanic Rebirth” begins with an uncharacteristically patient mood-building intro. After a mosh-friendly stomp it’s back to blackened deathrash with all of its furious flourishes. Solos hot enough to start infernos. Drums pummeled into dust. With 90 seconds left in the 33 minute record, the song’s last breath is an exhale of punk defiance. Seeds of Death will appeal to fans of countrymen Aura Noir and those who like raw, filthy speed metal. Evoke’s first love might be ’80s extremity, but there’s nothing tired or redundant here. Seeds of Death feels urgent down to the last cymbal smash.
Stream Evoke’s Seeds of Death below and succumb to one of the year’s best speed/thrash albums. Listen before it’s released from Pulverized Records on September 18th and press play NOW.
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