Cauldron

The third full-length album from Toronto, ON-based retro thrash darlings Cauldron, Tomorrow's Lost is a record that makes absolutely no bones about the fact that it's located squarely in the centre of the retro-thrash revival. Rather than trying to build on, or reframe, the catchy, anthemic energy of classic '80s thrash, Cauldron are determined to capture, distil and bottle that sound as purely as possible, right down to the scuffed white high tops — a more accurate title would have been Tomorrow's Found. There are slightly more classic and power metal influences audible on Tomorrow's Lost, especially early Blind Guardian and mid-career Iron Maiden. Even at its darkest and most thrashy though, as on "End of Time" and "Burning Fortune," the record remains light-hearted, easy to listen to, almost effervescent in its casual positivity, though it makes no lasting impressions. The album's greatest flaw is its production, which is unnecessarily gummy and dull, in an attempt to sound dated — some punch and sunniness would have served the album better. Cheery but a bit cheesy, Tomorrow's Last captures some of the best and worst of the oversaturated thrash revival.