German thrash group
Dew-Scented are coming up on their 20th anniversary, having formed in 1992. They haven't changed a bit over the course of eight studio albums, though -- just as each one's title begins with the letter "I," each one offers a punishing but clean and melodic thrash sound. They're not aiming for crossover with clean choruses, but rather pursuing the same pounding, headbanging sound as
Arch Enemy,
the Haunted, and
the Crown. Guitarists Michael Borchers and Martin Walczak carve out riffs like lumberjacks sculpting with chainsaws, as bassist Alexander Pahl and drummer Marc-Andrée Dieken keep the rhythm pounding endlessly forward. Vocalist Leif Jensen has a hoarse, bloody-throated roar that's frequently incomprehensible, but not unlike that of Tomas Lindberg, who's sort of the paradigm for this kind of thing, and it suits the punishing music perfectly. Both guitarists make their studio debut with this record, having joined the group in 2008, and Borchers' solos are fluid and arise organically out of the songs rather than being mere excuses for squealing whammy-bar abuse. Like many thrash acts in the 21st century,
Dew-Scented don't write instantly memorable songs, but heard as part of a live set, any track here (save the opening and closing instrumentals) would turn the pit into a surging mass of superheated colliding flesh, and that's the point of the exercise, after all. ~ Phil Freeman