Sylo-mentality

I first came across Sylosis when they released their excellent ‘Conclusion Of An Age’ opus on the mighty Nuclear Blast label back in 2008. Around that time, it was starting to be reported that the British thrash scene – which, in my opinion, has always been a stop-start-stop-start sort of thing as bands on this side of the pond always have played catch up with, and been poorer cousins of, our trans-Atlantic brethren – was starting to make a comeback.
I remained to be convinced: grindcore and screamo seemed to be more the Brittanic take on the genre, but there was one thing that was certain – ‘Conclusion...’ was a damn fine album and one that continued to find its way into my CD player for a while to come.
Well, now the new look quartet have released the follow up, ‘ Edge Of The Earth’ – another damn fine slice of apocalyptic sci-fi thrash, although one, at least from the cover art and concept, seems to take a more primordial (sic) approach to the genre.
The doomy intro of ‘Procession’ soon sets the scene for what is to come: 14 slices of the best thrash you definitely are going to hear this year, if not in this decade so far. Vocalist Josh Middleton – taking over from the now departed Jamie Graham with great aplomb - growls and snarls through sets of suitably mythological storylines, while his guitar work interplays well with that of Alex Bailey (who also contributes some neat piano touches to some of the more low key moments, such as the ending of the epic double-track ‘Empyreal’), while the rhythm section of Carl Parnell and Rob Callard are as accomplished as any you will hear in the genre.
I am still to be convinced that British thrash ever will reach the status of, particularly, its West Coast progenitors, but on the evidence of this album, coupled with the re-emergence of Onslaught and the pending release of a new Primordial, erm, onslaught, (plus the efforts of relative newcomers such as Malefice) I would say the flag of the British Isles nevertheless can fly high and proud in early 2011.