Soothsayer

That ’80s Quebequois thrashers Soothsayer are once again seeing the light of day with this re-mastered reissue of their seminal demo feels like a bonus in itself. Factoring in the addition of a live set recorded in Montreal circa 1987 only serves to confirm this piece of Canadian thrash metal as vital to the ears of any self-respecting rager. In their heyday, Soothsayer were far more intense — but sadly a few steps below in popularity — than fellow subgenre pioneers Sacrifice and Slaughter. Bordering on death metal, were it not for the shrieking vocal delivery reminiscent of a werewolf from The Howling, To Be A Real Terrorist is an unyielding bombardment of double-time beats, blistering power chords and pent-up rage. One can almost smell the sweaty leather and denim uniforms these goons wore with pride. Sadly short at a mere six songs (12 with the accompanying live set), this timeless piece of avant-thrash confirms the resurgence of the scene but frustrates with its ephemeral expediency.