2014
Charmingly-titled as it just might be, "Fukkin Demo" is the first release from Germany's White Mantis. It was self-released in mid-November of 2014 and the four-song demo opens with a rocking little number called "My Favourite Chainsaw". The other three songs on this short but sweet EP are "Singularity", "The Seer" and "Nuclear Assassin". If you had to make a guess as to what this band's specialty was what would it be? I know it's a stab in the dark and all, but what you guess? If your answer was thrash metal and/or speed/thrash then congratulations are in order! Pat yourself on the back as you my friend are spot on! This is thrash metal 101 from a Munich-based band whose first and foremost aspiration in life would have to be thrashing out! Sounds simple enough I know, but believe it or not there is much to love about this four-piece band and their take on speed metal/thrash. Besides the kookiness that is "My Favourite Chainsaw" that is! For one thing White Mantis is old-school through and through. And it's not just the band's style of thrash metal we're talking about either! Without sacrificing quality, "Fukkin' Demo" has a production job that is straight out of the mid-late eighties and it turns this recording into another fun trip back to a time when things were a bit more simpler. "Fukkin' Demo" rewinds the clock to a scene that was still young and growing and yet every-bit as hungry and aggressive as today's bands are. Even more so some would say and I for one would gladly stand up for that argument as this demo's vintage vibe is right in line with everything that special about yesterday and all the days that proceeded it. White Mantis, which for future reference is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Matthias Pletz (ex-Lurid Trace), lead guitarist Andre Krimbacher, bassist Stefan Weihe and drummer Boris Kannowski, reminds me more of the early U.S. thrash and speed metal sound than the German scene and the name that I am going to throw out next might be lost of many but I have to use it. Kindly keep in mind that this band reference is also more about said band on the live stage, but nonetheless "Fukkin' Demo" reminds me the Christian thrash metal band Sacrament! As crazy as that sounds I actually saw Sacrament open for Deliverance on their Weapons Of Our Warfare" tour and White Mantis here sounds insanely close to what I remember Sacrament sounding like live! Hold your horses friends as that is actually a compliment! At the time Sacrament was breaking in new singer Robert Wolfe and their live set was nothing but rough and rugged thrash metal with slightly punkish vocals and the occasional melodic/technical moment. It was raw and aggressive and in the same environment that I was in everything bounced around frantically before it went straight into your eardrums in order to DESTROY you inside! The night I saw Sacrament they came across dark and frenzied and I was left thinking to myself if this was a normal thrash band it would be cooler than shit! White Mantis are all of that (aggressive thrash that is slight raw yet just technical enough to keep everything interesting), but on a larger scale and they are way more evil in everyday imaginable. For a first recording this shows promise and it makes you want to hear more. Good times are ahead for this lot if they can stay the course and I for one hope they do just that!
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