RHYTHM OF FEAR
“Fatal Horizons”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Rhythm Of Fear are a thrash metal band from the USA formed in 2010, releasing their five song demo in 2011. To date, the band have released two E.P.’s – ‘Mass Illusion’ (2015) and ‘Ritual Dementia’ (2019) – and two full length studio albums – ‘Maze Of Confusion’ (2016) and ‘Fatal Horizons’, released in 2022…

…featuring the bands penchant for the crossover style of thrash metal. Yes, there’s traditional thrash here, ala bands such as Testament, Death Angel and the “Big 4”, but there’s also groove of bands like Pantera, with Rhythm Of Fear citing Cyclone Temple, Forced Entry, and Slammer as major influences too. The bands new album is an incredible thirteen songs long, over a forty six minute run time…well actually – ten songs and three short musical interludes. The album storms into life with the thundering ‘Obsolescence’, projecting a fierce and ferocious attitude as it marches on at high velocity. Very much in the vein of traditional thrash metal, ‘Obsolescence’ is mightily melodic and will appeal to many old school fans. Heavying things up, ‘Alien Synthesis’ is a foot stomping barnstormer of a groove/thrash march. The infectious level of ‘Alien Synthesis’ is off the charts, the head bang ability top notch, with the band changing gear at half way only to resume the original pace as the song plays out. The first of the three interludes ‘Disintegration Of Reality’, is a one minute spooky, haunting lead into the albums title song ‘Fatal Horizons’ – an up tempo and fairly ferocious fast paced thrasher. Adrenaline levels are gonna rise sky high as ‘Fatal Horizons’ (the song) steams ahead at full tilt, causing the mosh pits to head bang faster and faster.

The second interlude, is the intriguingly titled ‘Atrocities Beyond The Structures Of The Mind’, and chimes in at just over the one minute mark. And is a menacing one minute too – leading straight into ‘Parasomniac’…a full on and high speed thrash metal attack, with a spectacular foot stompimg breakdown across the chorus break. A massive similarity with Testament comes to mind in terms of tone and attitude, Rhythm Of Fear echoing some of the glorious thrash of yesteryear with a crushing avalanche of aggression. Which is swapped for menace, as ‘Insidious System’ brings a touch of doom to the album, the slower pace a sinister crawl – until just after the minute mark when the band explode into life! ‘Insidious System’ becoming a fast and furious romp of all out thrash. The band certainly mixing up the styles of thrash to deliver a meandering journey of heavy hitting proportions. Keeping the pace high, ‘Self Destructive Brain’ delivers ferocity and savagery in abundance – Rhythm Of Fear showing their thrash metal pedigree with a highly head bang-able rampage of fierce brutality. ‘Dissolution Of Time In Space’ is the albums third (and final) one minute interlude, and is an effects laden, futuristic sounding meander.

The heavy plodding rhythm of ‘Simulated Times’ recreates the doom laden feel of earlier, but not for too long, as the band once again plant their foot down heavily on the accelerator to turn ‘Simulated Times’ into a fast and furious gallop of all out thrash. Apart from the interludes, ‘Fatal Horizons’ (the album) has been a high intensity roller coaster ride of top speed thrash metal to wreck your necks to. ‘Tears Of Ecstasy’ the next neck wrecker the album has to offer – albeit with a more traditional heavy metal feel, gradually getting heavier, finally breaking out into a thundering cacophony of groove metal – the band continuing their style changing prowess. Chiming in at under two minutes in length, ‘Oath Made In Hell’ is the shortest yet most ferocious song on offer, delivered at high velocity with an incredible amount of menace. Bringing the album to a close is the traditional sounding metaller ‘Ceremony Of Sacrifice’, building a crescendo for the first minute and a half, launching headlong into a groove metal swagger. The mix of thrash, groove, and traditional heavy metal has been a cracking mix, Rhythm Of Fear keeping the listeners attention from start to finish.

Overall, an avalanche of thrash to keep you head banging all album long, ‘Fatal Horizons’ is full of groove laden metal.

TRACKLIST

Obsolescence
Alien Synthesis
Disintegration Of Reality
Fatal Horizon
Atrocities Beyond The Structures Of The Mind
Parasomniac
Insidious System
Self Destructive Brain
Dissolution Of Time In Space
Simulated Times
Tears Of Ecstasy
Oath Made In Hell
Ceremony Of Sacrifice

https://rhythmoffear.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rhythmoffear/

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