Saratan Antireligion
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
Thrash really seems hellbent on making a comeback, and while the retro-stylings of Municipal Waste and Gama Bomb remind fans of why they liked the genre in the first place, they’re not doing much to advance the scene as a whole. Determined to buck this trend, however, Poland’s Saratan have delivered Antireligion, a thrash-fueled album that may be rooted in the past, but, with its diversity, is ultimately focused on the future.
One of the most instantly obvious trends found throughout Antireligion is the use of chord voicings usually relegated more to black metal and grind bands. Sure, there’s a healthy dose of power-chording, but by adding the dissonance and fullness of various minors and diminished chords, it’s made very clear that power chords aren’t the only ones with, well, power. In a similar fashion, Saratan have managed to stay away from basing every riff on a low string chug-a-chug, and instead utilize the entire fretboard (though not in a Dillinger Escape Plan-type chaotic fashion, rather in an everyday metalhead way). This, along with the great use of varying tempos (yes, that is possible), helps to keep the songs from blurring together, and embodies them with their own distinct “personalities.”
The first three tracks illuminate the diversity found throughout Antireligion. Uplifting opener “Extinguishing the Hope” carries an overt thrash vibe, but by mixing in the aforementioned “dark” chords and some Middle Eastern-sounding guitars parts, the result is an epic, fast, and very cool, overview of the album. “Antireligion Pt. 1” kicks up the speed another notch, and adds in the obligatory mosh breakdown, which will no doubt spawn many a memorable pit. By track 3, “Dead Inside,” things are slowed down to a more thundering roll. Featuring some clean vocals and a great, James Murphy-esque solo, this track is easily the closest thing the band have to a single.
“Crave Suicide” features a slew of great riffs, and contains a very unthrash acoustic interlude, bookended by guitar solos very reminiscent of Allen West’s work in both Obituary and early Six Feet Under. Closer “Antireligion 2” also integrates something very uncommon to thrash—a sitar—here bringing back the Middle Eastern sound touched on earlier.
Saratan (or perhaps their engineer) should also be praised for the realistic sound of the album. While very technical and tight, things don’t sound computer edited to the point of pure fakeness (a sad trend found on many modern metal releases). It seems very reasonable to assume that the band can pull off the same level of proficiency in the live setting, further differentiating them from many of their peers.
So while Antireligion may not the most groundbreaking metal record of the year, it is on par with, if not superior than, the bulk of thrash metal albums hitting the streets. By being just unique enough so as not to fly too far from their base, and by recording an album feasibly replayable by humans, Saratan have done more than most can wish to. Perhaps not all hope is extinguished after all.
Genre: Apokalyptic Death Thrash
Band:
Jarek Niemiec (v,b)
Wiktor Niemiec (d)
Jo D (b)
Adam Augustynski (g)
Track Listing:
1. Extinguishing the Hope
2. Antireligion pt.1
3. Dead Inside
4. My Demise
5. Reject Adonai
6. Pray for the Rest
7. Destroy Yourself
8. Crave Suicide
9. Antireligion pt.2
Label: My Kingdom Music
Website: http://www.myspace.com/saratanband
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.3/10