Album review: Bombarder - Sa Dna Groba (2024)

Bombarder - Sa Dna Groba

Serbia 

Grom Records

Death & Thrash Metal Promotion

 

Legendary Speed Metal Titans Bombarder are back with their eighth album “Sa Dna Groba” (which translates to “From the bottom of the grave”) and deliver another album chock-full of banger tunes infused with punk sensibilities. This is emphatically old-school Speed/Thrash Metal, so you can expect to be bombarded (no pun intended) with an array of barbed-wire riffs that are both catchy and heavy as a Sunday hangover.

Per "Hellbutcher" Gustavsson (Nifelheim, Necrocurse, etc.) makes an appearance on ‘Bombarder III,’ which is an utterly savage track made even more savage with Hellbutcher’s vocal lines. Vocalist Nenad Kovačević, who has been with the band since its inception in 1986, belches out some verily maddened, hollering vocals in Serbian, giving the whole album a very personal touch. I have always felt that metal bands sound better when they perform in their mother tongue and “Sa Dna Groba” is a testament to that. It’s amazing how the singer, who is sixty-one years old, can still deliver such an energetic and passionate performance.

Each member contributes to the collective excellence of this album, as the whole performance is tighter than a camel's arse in a sandstorm and accentuated by a crystal clear production fitting to their sound. The riffs really hit the spot and are masterfully executed on every track, with tempos ranging from mid-paced to more rapid, neck-breaking sections, including some eminently adept guitar solos as heard on the eponymous title-track and “Bezubi Osmijeh” (Toothless Smile).

Every composition on this album kills, even “Na svoju vagu život stavi”, with its absolutely brilliant interplay of violin and sweltering guitar shreds. Furthermore, the rendition of Kreator’s "Flag of Hate” ends the album on a high note with the lyrics again performed in Serbian rather than English. As far as I know, the band relocated to Serbia sometime in the 90s during the Bosnian war. So I am certainly grateful for their longevity and tenacious metal spirit, because the band has endured a lot since its formation. You simply cannot get these dogs down!

Overall, Bombarder is a band that has stayed true to their old-school roots, as “Sa Dna Groba” is an absolute banger of an album that maniacs of true Speed/Thrash metal should not miss out on.

Demo review: Sküllfükk SS - Uncut Speed (2021)

Sküllfükk SS – Uncut Speed (2021)

Estonia

Corrupted Flesh Records

The beer-cuzzling crew from Estonia called Sküllfükk SS unleash pure havoc on their latest demo (“Uncut Speed”) featuring 7 tracks of sleazy and offensive black/thrash/speed metal. 

The whole release is permeated with a raw and old-school production complimentary to their style. The music is catchy and infused with punk attitude. You can tell these guys had fun when they recorded the material. Their music will transport you back to the '80s, which is probably what the band intended, since their palette of influences include bands such as Venom, Mercyful Fate, Motorhead, etc. 

Those with an affinity for balls-to-the-wall metal punk, will no doubt enjoy this, as the music is full of killer riffs and incendiary vocal lines. Those looking for something more sophisticated, however, should stay away, as Sküllfükk SS is a band that embraces simplicity and old-school ethos with a healthy dose of punk injected in their veins. 

The overall output is quite impressive considering that “Uncut Speed” is only their second demo. There's something promising here, so hopefully we'll see another release at some point. If you’re a fan of bands like Bunker 66, Vomitor, Abigail, etc., then definitely check it out! (HT)