BATTLECROSS “Pursuit of Honor” (2011)
Label : Metal Blade Records

Tracks :
1.Pursuit of Honor
2.Push Pull Destroy
3.Kaleb
4.Deception
5.Man of Stone
6.Breaking You
7.Rupture
8.Leech
9.Better Off Dead
10.Misery
11.Forshadowing

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH…

“Here we go, lets listen to this album … a delicate intro, no doubt, these proud “vikings”, they has conquered in a bloodbath the new territories, raping, looting, burning on behalf of Odin and sowing fear for many generations…”

Eh, what…? Damned, What Is This…??

I remain surprised when bouncing the second song “Push Pull Destroy”, with its abrasive voice and its typical rhythms, its proud calvacades  and bitumen production…It Is American Thrash , and not a another band of viking metal as the precisely suggested the name of the combo.

AAAAAAAAAAAArgghh (Translate : Thrash Till’ Death…!), BATTLECROSS (newly signed with Metal Blade Records) proposes its “Pursuit Of Honor” (no, it’s not the new Amon Amarth… however, I’d prefer “Push Pull Destroy”, more appropriate name…). This thrash metal which is not really dying, Thrash Metal is still standing, but the number of labelled exits “Nike Or Die” reach the tire and annoy the cannibal cockroach of music metal  that I am.

Then what?
Nothing in this album finds my jubilation, nothing will allow this second album of Battlecross, created in 2003, to sense this small extra (the small supplement of soul) emotions that pull it to “Moshy Metal Mass”. Certainly, they know the fundamental (Atheist or Gorefest), while they live in 2011 (Black Maria Murder), certainly the album devastates ears for almost 37 minutes (“Man Of Stone”, angry) but God,  this Thrashy-melodeath-Core is tiresome.

Sold as a mix of Testament and an epileptic Terror 2000 (or Children Of Bodom, make your choice…).
Technical and default (in the will), some tracks deserve even the detour (“Rupture” to the devastating breaks) or “Leech”, heavy and devastating punk, but the first impression remains tenacious, I have already heard it a thousand times. If only we had  more killer songs, as the sulphur “Misery”, indisputable success of the album… but with “If”…

Then what? Then maybe the worse, minimum risk, no pain no gain.
And when it comes to Detroit (mother-hometown of Electricity sold as vinyl, remember of The Stooges…), it is not my small column which will frighten them. But I just hope a little bit more to these Guys’ next album.

Reviewed by MEL DELACROIX