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To call Skeletonwitch a thrash band, although fitting, wouldn’t entirely be correct. Nor could melodic death or black metal single-handedly capture the Ohio 5-piece’s sound. Somehow, Skeletonwitch manage to borrow from all of these genres and combine it into a nearly flawless whole. Nowhere is this more apparent than their latest offering, Beyond the Permafrost.

While it’s easy to pick out different subgenres’ influences, the skillful way Skeletonwitch assemble their sound is anything but stale. The guitars perfectly balance a swirling storm of thrash and melodic riffs that constantly progress throughout each song. Skeletonwitch eschew verse-chorus-verse structure and seem more focused on creating interesting, flowing songs. As if the constant guitar assaults weren’t vicious enough, frontman Chance Garnett’s demonic screams transform Skeletonwitch into a surprisingly heavy band. Listeners with a weak stomach for black metal will have a hard time tolerating the screeching vocals; indeed, many would feel that the vocals are too heavy for the music.

Beyond the Permafrost does suffer from thrash syndrome, with the feel of each song simply being up-tempo, balls-to-the-wall metal. Anyone seeking more variation would be disappointed. Of course, for the metal of heart, that just means more thrash for the rest of us. Ultimately, enjoyment of the album will hinge on the listener’s appreciation (or lack thereof) for the extreme vocals, especially in what would otherwise be a more accessible melodic thrash outfit. Nothing sums up Beyond the Permafrost better than the title of its 9th track: “Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery.” For those seeking metal with balls, this may be the album for you.

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Reviewer: Josh Coppola Added: November 12th 2007