Onslaught – Generation Antichrist Review
On August 7th, thrash legends Onslaught will release one of their most powerful modern albums. Generation Antichrist goes back to some of the earliest material while also taking influence from other thrash and punk bands. The result is a purely violent album that will leave you headbanging. The album is short — probably 30-something minutes — but they pack a punch with this release. A lot of the songs sound the same; while every song blends in together with first listen, give it a couple of chances and you’ll hear some songs that stand out.
This is the first Onslaught album with new vocalist Dave Garnett. Not going to lie, I was upset when Sy Keeler left. I always loved his vocals. Out of all of the thrash vocalists, he stood out to me and he gave Onslaught a distinguishable sound. But Onslaught is entering a new phase with Garnett, creating a fiercer and reinvented Onslaught.
The album starts with “Rise to Power,” an extremely aggressive into. The track opens up with soundclips and crushing riffs before Dave Garnett’s vocals come in.
The intro leads into the next track, “Strike Fast, Strike Hard.” Onslaught isn’t playing with this song — they’re certainly striking the listener, both fast and hard! Rapid drumming meets with heavy riffing for a headbang-worthy song. But the most dominating quality about the song is the solo. Guitarist Wayne Dorman is a crazy guitar player and the guitarwork went up several notches with this album. The only thing I have to say is I’m not a fan of Garnett’s vocals in this song; they sound spoken rather than growling, which is what I like about his vocals.
The next song, “Bow Down to the Clowns,” is another overpowering thrash anthem and is one of the singles they released. The insane riffing and Garnett’s aggressive vocals will completely demolish you. The chorus is also super catchy, making this a great song to play live (whenever live shows come back). The solo in this song is even more agonizing than in the previous song — geez Dorman how do you do it? The only setback is I think this song sounds a bit similar to the last track, but it’s catchy enough to stand out on its own.
Onslaught continues slaying with the song “All Seeing Eye.” This song is definitely one of the grooviest on the album, but it doesn’t take long for the guitars to start tearing the track. One thing I like about the guitars in this song is the dexterity lasts throughout the entire track, just not during the solo. This is definitely one of the most impressive songs on the album.
Let’s cut down to the song “Religiousuicide.” This song is another single they released and is the perfect song as a single. It has all of the best traits of a thrash song: it’s fast, chanty, brutal, and with anti-religion lyrics. What also makes this song stand out is the drumming. The drumming style is very punky, vigorous but punchy. It keeps the momentum moving throughout the entire track.
The album ends with “A Perfect Day to Die.” This song is interesting because it was previously recorded with Sy Keeler when he was still their vocalist. I’m honestly not sure which one I like better. Sy used a heavier vocal style for the original version but Garnett’s thrashier vocals pair perfectly with this aggressive and speedy trash song. It’s a simple song but it’s a classic Onslaught song — a headbangy track with brutal and catchy riffs. Overall, this song is very authentic to Onslaught’s classic sound.
Overall, Generation Antichrist is pure, crazy, unadulterated thrash. There’s plenty of malevolence with fast thrashy drumming, catchy grooves, and plenty of punk influences. Even though most of the songs sound the same, it’s a lively album and every song will sound amazing live. While I will miss Sy Keeler’s distinct vocals, I also think Onslaught fans will welcome Dave Garnett with open arms. His vocals are more aggressive than Keeler’s and his vocals fit in well with Onslaught’s sound. I’m just ready for shows to come back so I can experience this material live!
Rating: 8/10
