Metal, Thrash Metal

Annexation – Inherent Brutality (Review)

Artist: Annexation
Album: Inherent Brutality
Genre:  Thrash Metal
Country:  Germany (Berlin)
Release Date:  27th of September, 2020
Released via Iron Shield Records
Cover Artwork © Annexation, 2020

First to say, GODDAMN this is a fantastic Thrash Metal band from Berlin, Germany that instantly hit me on my way to work at 4 am. After their first EP Reptile World Order they already showed us how good Thrash Metal these days has evolved and artists like Annexation are a perfect example showing us that this “old” genre is still alive and well. After that, they hit us hard with another EP Jackhammer Treatment. Eventually, Annexation manifested their experience in their music and presented us this masterpiece of intense, shreddy and brutal Thrash Metal combined with Old School Death influenced parts as well as some touches of Black Metal.

Beginning with “ATR”, this amazing start instantly grasped my attention and I’m ready for this. The catchy and shreddy riffs of Lizard Gonzales and Sickfuck Sanchez work perfectly together with this distinctive voice of Infektörr. Well-pointed gangshouts and the intense drumming of Volcanic Nun Desecrator is amazing and immediatly invites to stand up, kick something away and bang your head to this music!

“Beyong Humanity” has this amazingly strechted intro that grooves you warm for some more shreddy riffs, a nice solo and Infektörr’s dirty and
raw voice together with gangshouts makes this track a perfect transition into the next great explosion. “Colonia Dignidad” amazingly crushes in the
beginning with a slightly blackened drumplay and riffs that perfectly fit into the nice groovy and thrashy midpart, where I got stuck in that amazing riff. On “Craving for Flesh”, the nice classic Old School Death-influenced intro begins vile but calmly ’till this band starts the barrage! I couldn’t even imagine before how such an unbelievable tension and a culmination to the final bang could be created with a phrase like “Craving For Flesh.” Presented in such a great and skillful Thrash manner that I forgot to breathe at some points ’cause I was fully induldged in that atmosphere. Fantastic!

Short time to land back and calm down before that dark riff of “Global Assassin Grid” starts to hypnotize you and then, they bomb you away with a portfolio of amazingly crazy riffs combined with intense Thrash drums. Damn, this is quality! “Holycaust” catches you with a groove that burns straight into your brain and to be honest, I’ gonna remember the moment I destroyed my old coffee tablet! Thank you Annexation! This is already my personal favorite off this album. One last thing to say about this track is the great work of Rotten Piranha!

Now, we’re heading towards the album title – “Inherent Brutality” – that shows me a really amazing, almost brutal implemantation of this kind of topic plus these pummeling drums of of Volcanic Nun Desecrator that hit you straight in your face. This intensity, together with these brutal riffs and eventually Infektörr‘s incredible voice put this together to a real masterpiece. Almost unique and so thrilling, I feel all the energy on this track – I really feel an inherent brutality! Don’t be shy, it’s a perfect example for showing your neighbours what real good music sounds like!

“Masscontamination” gave me no moment to breath and begins hard and pushing ’till Infektörr tells us what he thinks about the current political topic concerning despots that are controlling the masses via fake news and fake reality in the present time of supposed Enlightment. Annexation prove their true strength, serving fast, shreddy and intense Thrash Metal masterpieces in a row and this makes them admirable!

Inherent Brutality is exactly the kind of Thrash-based production that shines with every good genre-based musical punchlines and proves an incredible energetic ability to implement. This band really is an insider tip and shouldn’t be missed on your playlist. Tidy shredding and even tidier shouts and growls from a really talented band that would just escalate live on stage! Annexation is a banger!

9 / 10

Favorite Tracks:
“Inherent Brutality” – Just blows everything away! Love the drums!
“Holycaust” + “Masscontamination” – Both just truly brutal Thrash earworm with nice Black / Death touch! So great!

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