Bloodride are nothing if not consistent in their approach, right down to always getting a little better at it with each album. On Deafening, their fifth and (as of writing) latest album, they continue that in ways both old and new. There's no big change in their sound; they're still all about angry, blistering thrash with clear Bay Area roots and some street-level crossover energy that sets them apart from their fellow Fins. No, they're just tighter and more consistent with it than before through razor-sharp riffs, relentless tempos, and Jyrki Leskinen's trademark bark taking its most commanding form yet. The biggest change is the production, whose massive, gritty sound is a far cry from the roughness of earlier works while retaining that undeniable underground ethos, making this their best sounding album to date. If earlier records showed promise, Deafening is Bloodride cashing in on it with confidence and conviction, and I hope that their best is yet to come.