Terror Empire
Face The Terror

October 2012
Released: 2012, Independent
Rating: 3.0/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Do you like Slayer? Well Terror Empire, upcoming thrashers from Portugal, certainly do! Formed in 2009, these guys have slowly progressed and have now released their debut six-cut EP, FACE THE TERROR.

Instantly upon hearing the opening song, “Dirty Bomb”, it’s obvious that these five lads worship at the altar of Hanneman & King. Everything just screams SSSSSLAYER!!!!, from Ricardo Martins’ Araya-like vocals, to the furious thrash riffs, even including Sergio Alves’ dissonant atonal leads. It’s no surprise then that the following five songs all follow the same pattern, thrashing away like REIGN IN BLOOD is a new release.

There’s definitely enough energy and drive in the music; each of the six songs comes across as a powder keg ready to explode. Sadly, the band brings no new ideas to the party whatsoever, and such obvious aping of the heroes comes across as a little tired, if not crass. I mean the band no disrespect as they’re obviously talented musicians to pull this music off flawlessly, but such obvious re-writing of a legendary band doesn’t go unnoticed – on the contrary, it completely overshadows the music.

Still, if modern day Slayer doesn’t give you what you crave and you’re longing for the days of HELL AWAITS and REIGN IN BLOOD, Terror Empire might just be exactly what you’re searching for.