Raging Steel
Guilty as Charged

May 2011
Released: 2010, Reinig Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

Worn-out jeans. Badges. Denim vests. Attitude and spirit of 80´s. Relentless and straightforward thrash metal. That´s what this Swedish foursome known as Raging Steel, represents more than well for.



Raging Steel are a young band coming from Umeå, Sweden – only formed in 2008, consisting of members from some other existing and disbanded acts (Electrocution, Torn Apart and Chainsawtan) – and the band´s debut album, GUILTY AS CHARGED, has been out quite some time already, released by a small label Reining Records in August 2010, located in the Bay Area, CA.



The whole thrash resurgence has brought us many newer acts that have desperately tried to copycat the golden 80´s sound the best they can, but only a small fistful of bands have succeeded in doing it so well as this Swedish quartet does. Raging Steel do it right. In fact, if someone introduced them to me as one of those obscure thrash metal acts of 80´s, I would buy it right away without having any further, detailed information about them at all. The band combines cleverly some of those musical ingredients together that were used on Kreator´s ENDLESS PAIN, Slayer´s SHOW NO MERCY, Metallica´s KILL ´EM ALL and Possessed´s BEYOND THE GATES/THE EYES OF HORROR albums. The riffs, the vocals, the roughness, the evilness as well as the attitude and determination to reach as close feeling and vibe of those so-called golden days of thrash, they are all to be found from Raging Steel´s thrash-tastic debut. Vocalist (and guitarist) Dan sounds deceptively like a cross between Jeff Becerra of Possessed and Paul Baloff of Exodus; evil, hateful and ready snap your neck with his revengeful teeth.



With violent and thrashing rides of “Dreadly Intentions”, “Guilty as Charged” and “Wretched Command”, Raging Steel have enough potential proof in their possession to belong to the very sharpest elite of 2nd thrash metal wave. Undoubtedly many will be totally surprised and hooked when they get to hear this – so close they have come with all their attempts to capture the 80´s thrash sound on their 8-song debut GUILTY AS CHARGED. These young fellows have thrash metal in their veins – and this record has a serious tendency to make you form your own moshpit, headbang severely and share a couple of beers with your friends who also tend to breathe, eat and shit thrash metal.



Last but not least: F**K Swedes! You are heavily envied because of bands like Raging Steel – at least by one poor fucker in your eastern neighbor.