SORCERER'S SWORD - Demo 2021 (Review)

Written by: The Administrator

There's a special irreplaceable fire and fury that exists only in the confines of a blistering proto-thrash demo tape. Reno's own Sorcerer's Sword enter this specific arena with Demo 2021, infusing the speedy thrash aesthetic with retro blackened punk.

In short: goddamn. This five-track-and-an-intro barnburner is a very promising debut, as fun as it is frenetic.

Sorcerer's Sword paint with a broad no-fucks-given brush, which is kind of implicit, given their chosen genre worship and hellraising aesthetic.  There's little pretense lurking in their primitive yet proficient fare, and the sheer bloodletting violence they enact is a sight to behold. If you're looking for points of vague comparison, consider the filthy black/thrash likes of Sabbat and Vulcano by way of the speed of early Sodom and no-holds-barred maniacal approach of Deathhammer or Witchtrap. 

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Assorted namedrops aside, highlight track "Demonolatry, which ye can find lurking below, is a prime exemplar of what Demo 2021 has to offer: raw production, riff soup savagery, piercing falsettos and ghastly shrieks ripped straight from the bowels of Tartarus,  and enough blister-inducing shred to fill a whole damn album. If you're not actively bleeding from the eyes after cranking the volume and attempting to headbang along, I afraid you might be at the wrong venue. This is spiteful and witchy stuff. 
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Sorcerer's Sword feels gloriously timeless--if you told me this thing is a re-release of a project from, I dunno, 1987, I wouldn't bat an eye. This crew epitomizes the fresh-faced zeal of the days of yore. They are seemingly unfazed by the reality of thrash existing outside of fashion and favor amongst the metalhead crowd for literal decades. That commitment is admirable. Moreover, their ability to write truly engaging songs that maintain a high level of fun-loving aggression throughout bodes well for the future. I'm excited to see what they drag from the pits of hell on their next outing.

Sorcerer's Sword - Demo 1 will be released March 4th, 2021 via Mythic Ironworks. If you like what you hear, pre-order a cassette!

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Sorcerer's Sword can be found:
Bandcamp