Outrage
Go To Hell

November 2012
Released: 2011, Metal On Metal Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Robert Williams

Outrage from Germany play blackened thrash in the vein of Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Sodom and Venom. The band released their first demo in 1985 and split up in 1988 until eventually reforming in 2004. The band has released a slew of demos, an EP and now with GO TO HELL, their sixth full length LP.





The opening track "Rigor Mortis" begins with a bass heavy tribal floor tom beat before kicking in with a corroded and evil sounding thrash attack. The vocals are ugly and mean and awesome sounding. A gruff, harsh sounding bark occasionally including the kind of high pitched thrash screams that Schmier of Destruction employs. "Go To Hell" the album's title track features sludgy guitars, guttural vocals and some excellent drumming from Yannick, the band's drummer. "Into The Abyss Of Belial" musically sounds very much akin to classic Celtic Frost, or almost like a black metal band performing in the vein of Celtic Frost. This song is a real head banging, ass kicker with a barrage of killer black thrash riffs of the highest caliber that harken back to the days of the original black metal bands that would eventually inspire the second wave of black metal movement that exploded in Scandinavia in the early nineties. "Astaroth" is a pulsing ode to evil, with a steady backbeat complementing a simple, no nonsense crunch. Vocalist Frank reaches for the high notes during the chorus and while not achieving results that could be considered comparable to "The Metal God" Rob Halford or King Diamond, it sounds menacing and it sounds evil and as a result, cool as fuck.





The neckbreaking thrash metal of "Perseus Rules" is next and should induce moshpits at every show it's performed. This song was just designed for knocking people on their ass. "Infernal Recruit" builds briefly before solidifying the affair with assaulting drumming from Yannick and some more choice blackened thrash riffery from Udo on guitar. Being that you're already half way through GO TO HELL by this point and every song thus far has beaten you senseless you just know these guys rule in concert. "The Inner Contract" is another track that should get circle pit's of epic brutality going in the live setting. This is old school as it was meant to be performed and a lot of bands today could learn a thing or to by spinning an album like this a time or two. "Hot On The Trail" is a standout track on GO TO HELL. The vocal phrasing is really catchy and complements the demonic descending guitar lines from Udo and Torsten and the double kick assault of Yannick. "Slave Trader" totally sounds like old Destruction and while I'm aware Outrage is from the same era of thrash, I mean that only as a compliment. Udo lays down some brief, yet tasteful and effective soloing. The Celtic Frost influence bears it's ugly head once more on "Pact Of The Wicked" another classic sounding black thrasher that will knock you senseless like a crowbar to the jaw. Drop of the dime tempo changes repel all that is holy as they bathe in metallic grime and sonic fury. "Refugee To Beyond" is a million miles an hour locomotive one second and then pummeling like a steamroller the next. Of course the lyrics are evil and unholy. Of Course! "Black Metal Attack" closes things out on GO TO HELL and is a short and fast ass kicker, probably performed at encores live, I'd imagine.





The production on GO TO HELL was handled by Thomas Morchen at InnerEar studio who does a fine job in that regard. The cover art is an archaic looking pit of hell that was done in silver and black and composed by Metal On Metal Records label owner Jowita Kaminska-Peruzzi who has made a name for herself in underground metal circles with her cover artwork for such acts as Deceased, Exodus and Manilla Road to name just a few. This cover was inspired by Lorenzo Maitani's "The Last Judgement" bas-relief from the facade of Orvieto Cathedral (1310-1330) The accompanying booklet features more artwork in this same medium as well as band photos, lyrics and album credits. All in all, I think this is a welcomed addition to the collection of any thrash metal maniac. All of the tracks are enjoyable and the no nonsense, no bull shit, straight ahead evil thrash metal approach of the band makes this a reliable and dependable album to come back to time and time again.