CRUEL FORCE
“Dawn Of The Axe”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Cruel Force are a thrash metal band from Germany formed in 2008, releasing their debut album ‘The Rise Of Satanic Might’ in 2010, and sophomore album ‘Under The Sign Of The Moon’ in 2011. The band broke up soon after, returning ten years later with a brand new single ‘Across The Styx’, quickly followed by third album ‘Dawn Of The Axe’…

…released in 2023 featuring nine high powered, high velocity songs across a blistering thirty nine minutes! And even after a ten year hiatus, the bands blackened thrash metal roots are still very much in evidence, although album opener, the one and a half minute ‘Azrael’s Dawn’, features a much more melodic metal approach as it builds an air of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead!

And what lies ahead? The scorching speed of (presumably the title song) ‘At The Dawn Of The Axe’ – the band flying along at an incredible pace! ‘At The Dawn Of The Axe’ is a blistering slab of thrash inspired speed metal, highly reminiscent of early (UK metallers) Venom. But faster – much faster! Cruel Force are a unique blend of German and British thrash wrapped in a sensational coating of speed! And without slowing down, the band power on with the even faster paced ‘Night Of Thunder’, banging heads faster and more savagely than a pneumatic drill on full power! The opening double salvo has been nothing short of stunning, Cruel Force making an emphatic return to the metal scene.

A return that just gets better and better with the thunderous ‘Death Rides The Sky’, and a subtle inclusion of a more heavy metal ambience. Yes, that’s right – among the overwhelming speed and thrashy nature, ‘Death Rides The Sky’ bears just the subtlest hint of my favourite ever genre of music! With the pedal firmly pressed to the metal, ‘Dawn Of The Axe’ storms on with the speedy ‘Devil’s Dungeon’ devastating everything and everyone standing in its way! The ferocity of the album up to this point has been frightening, tearing down walls and demolishing buildings with extreme force! Prepare for an aural battering readers, Cruel Force are an unforgiving freak of nature – ‘Watchtower Of Abra’ picking up the baton and bashing you ’round the head with it! ‘Watchtower Of Abra’ is actually a one minute eerie instrumental leading into the six minute long (comeback single) ‘Across The Styx’…

…and a mighty foot stomp that heralds the return of a faint heavy metal hint once more. For the first minute or so anyway, and then all hell breaks fucking loose, the band accelerating quickly to top speed, violently banging the heads of every single metalhead in the world. Cruel Force are just that – a force of immense cruelty, especially to neck muscles! Boy there’s gonna be some sore necks at the end of this album. But who really cares when the metal on offer is this fucking good! Not me that’s for sure – I head banged plenty during the eighties heyday for thrash evolution by constantly listening to the likes of Motorhead, Kreator, Slayer and Sepultura. So I know where my limits are – and I ain’t there just yet! And the cruelty continues apace with the out and out thrasher ‘Power Surge’ – maintaining the albums exhilarating full on and in your face power and pace. Breathless is an understatement, ‘Dawn Of The Axe’ one of the best thrash metal albums of the year. The seven minutes plus ‘Realm Of Sands’ brings a terrific thrash metal assault to a close in speed of light fashion! The band have not taken their foot off the accelerator all album long, the breath taking speed and extremely high level of head bang ability keeping every metalhead hooked from start to finish.

Overall, a blistering album of all out thrash metal delivered at incredible speed with tonnes of savagery and a brutal edge.

TRACKLIST

Azrael’s Dawn
At The Dawn Of The Axe
Night Of Thunder
Death Rides The Sky
Devil’s Dungeon
Watchtower Of Abra
Across The Styx
Power Surge
Realm Of Sands

https://cruelforceofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CruelForce

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