The Bay comes to Ohio! Thrash soldiers War Curse channel that iconic thrash sound on their second album, Eradication. But this isn’t a bunch of upstarts in someone’s garage worshipping their heroes - this is a group of seasoned vets whose callused hands and chords are a testament to their dedication to the craft.

Each tune is jam-packed with heavy metal riffing, backed with a steel structure of thrash rhythms. Blaine Gordon’s vocals straddle that boundary between harsh and melodic that Uncle Chuck does so well, while Joshua Murphy and Justin Roth showcase excellent guitar chemistry whether trading solos or riffing from opposite ends of the stereo system. The rhythm section are no slouches either, whether setting a frenetic pace on “Possession” or barreling through groove on the title track.

As mentioned earlier, the line-up is star-studded, even without getting into the guest performances. James Goetz made his mark drumming for 90s power metallers Division, while Jason Vie Brooks is currently holding down bass for cult heroes Heathen and Exhorder. He invites the legendary Kyle Thomas from the latter to lay down vocals on the penultimate “Deadly Silence”, where his harsh rasp duels with Gordon’s more melodic touch. Further familiar faces crop up on the opening track with Forbidden’s Glen Alvelais, who lays down a ripping solo, and Kragen Lum ( Heathen / Exodus ) lives up to the ‘Serpent’ song title with his weaving contribution.

Whether a battle-hardened veteran who knows their thrash inside out, or a fresher face getting to grips with the genre, War Curse will not steer you wrong, and Eradication proves that heavy metal still has plenty of life in 2019.