Birds of Prey

There’s something about Birds Of Prey that has always felt like they never got over the fact that Max Cavalera left Sepultura after Roots, their most successful — if not actually best — record. To that extent, these death metal goons continually strive to create the next step in the evolution of a plus-Max Sepultura with the complex rhythms, underlying chug riffs, guttural grunts that are still decipherable and a slightly pre-nu-metal new metal feel. While all of that sounds like the recipe for disaster that metal became when braids and beards were standard issue, Birds Of Prey actually do channel that long-dead spirit, most notably on Sulfur & Semen, an album that boasts some chilling solos heavy on blues scales, churning bass lines and haunting drum passages that are beat-heavy but still rousing. Despite the obvious connotation to their predecessors, with Sulfur & Semen, those few souls missing the last stage in the evolution of thrash metal need pine no more. Bird Of Prey hath delivered it unto you all.