Nocturnal Fear-Excessive Cruelty

Moribund
2011

Detroit's own retro thrash act Nocturnal Fear were formed in 2000. Now while most retro thrash bands worship all things Bay Area these guys prefer German-inspired speed/thrash metal. Clearly Sodom, Destruction, and Kreator all serve as prime influences and as such are a good reference point kids. Also, the band are clearly obsessed with war and all things military and have made it yet again the main focal point on Excessive Cruelty. There are still those guttural vocals and insane attempts at faster than the speed of light 80's thrash. At times things do blur together and without much variety this one comes off as take it or leave it, paint by numbers thrash. Nothing bad about bowing at the alter of thrash. Just with few songs ever getting beyond pure aggression for the sake of aggression it did make this one a bit more of a chore than simple enjoyment. No doubt these guys love what they do and have the chops to pull it off. I'm sure they are probably beasts live too. Excessive Cruelty though was more like "excessive beat the crap out of everything and scream metal" than killer thrash.