The Source - The Source

Being part of the “I for an I & Media Records” family, The Source released their homonymous debut album; shouldering experience of quite a proportion (abroad touring included), confidence is constant throughout this album in whole.

     TS can be precisely characterized as technical, modern thrash metal. They definitely hail the old scene, they do move on though. They ‘re agressive, fierce, yet, they do not contempt melody. From Slayer to Exodus, (the mighty thrash scene of old and classic), from The Haunted in particular to the Swedish death metal scene of the last decade or two in general (Bringing Out the Dead exemplifies this, as a composition actually blending all the musical elements mentioned). Overall though, TS ’s performance is modern, while the very songwriting process serves one the following feeling : these Greeks seem to have full control over their ideas, they certainly aren’t some random fatalists summoning their luck to (re)produce and mix their influences. Confidence is the key to this – totally – riff-oriented release.

     TS is an adept band, technically speaking. Both drumming (Tomek) and guitars (JB) seek this “precision” in rhythmic patterns and riffing, respectively (some solos are icluded– e.g introduction of the Process. However the solos are tiring at times, and that’s when they flirt with shredding and/or long duration e.g. X-enemy). Although none is rendered speechless from their performance as individuals, the band’s playing as a whole is tight. The bass lines (David) only supplement the main tone. It certainly has its moments (ShellShocked’s intro), but those are limited (the bass actually performs the guitar riff). On the aggressive vocals,  Makis gives his whole. Although this kind of singing serves not my personal liking, the vocals definitely serve their purpose (and that’s making TS ’s aggressiveness sound even more furious. Plus, there are times when Makis is leaning to a cleaner/ more melodic singing (e.g. On the Coreshot, approximately 3:00 and on).

      One of the album’s most complete songs, is the Vision of Rejects, a composition slightly differing from the rest, in terms of melody, as it features disharmonic tones too, while, simultaneously, all instruments are exploited to their potential, meaning that in this composition, TS show what they’re made of, even if it’s the least representative of songs, regarding the band’s musical identity (they are far more melodic than that). -Lyrics did not reach my hands, so  commenting on them is absent-

     To make a long story short, TS are aggressive, and modern. Blending experience with confidence, and you’ve got it, their debut album. Technical thrash metal from these Athenians performed in terms of today.

7,5/10

Stelios (Ω)