• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Warbringer are alive and kicking and delivering another slab of thrash that's rooted in the early days while incorporating slightly newer elements. Woe to the Vanquished is, as such, a mix of the old-school comfort zone and the changes that have taken place in metal in the past couple of decades.

After several listens, I find myself enjoying this album quite a bit even though there's nothing here that really makes me go nuts. It's one of those albums that's good while it's on but leaves limited post-listen memories. That's, of course, a bit of a letdown, but since the album doesn't get old on repeated listens, it's just a minor thing here (something that can't be said of all albums considered only "good while they're on"). For the most part, the album is fast-paced, precise, thundering thrash with a clean production that doesn't deviate much from what Warbringer have gotten us used to, so fans of the bands will find something to like while their detractors will just keep doing what they've been doing. It's all part of the fun. While I'd like the album to have more staying power, I'd say my main beef with it is the ending: "'When the Guns Fell Silent" is just over 11 minutes in length and is quite slow and has kind of a depressing vibe compared to the rest of the album, so the "high" experienced by the shorter, more in-your-face songs that precede it is replaced by a depressing feeling. Not the best way to end an album.