Whipstriker, the Brazilian speed metal assembly, and Black Knife, Kentucky Black Punk upstarts, link up for an accelerated blast of underground metal titled Flying Death sure to please the studded gauntlet mobs and dirty-denim kutte crowd. Being familiar with both bands - anyone remember that Hell's Bomber / Whipstriker tape that not enough people bought - my sentiments expressed regarding the competitive nature of the split format are less impactful here, assuaged by an ideal companionship and the nuanced differences between Whipstriker and Black Knife. So this quick one-two punch of underground rusty metal is ideal for a quick spin before starting the day and especially while brushing your teeth, as you can spit out those suds at the same time Vic from Whipstriker and Hellwulf from Black Knife spit out their guts. There's plenty of nastiness to enjoy in this small sampling of both bands.
Starting with Whipstriker's offering, "Flying Dead" leads off in all sorts of Venomy and Celtic Frostish glory. The track isn't overwhelmingly fast, however Whipstriker ingeniously arrange the structure to offer something sounding freshly harvested and crisp. The track opens with a half-speed chorus which is then chased by the verse and so on. Simply repeating the catchy chorus first makes the rest of the track sound faster than it is, and is just enough nuanced compositional modification for "Flying Dead" to be worth several listens. Add the memorable guitar harmony that crawls over the penultimate portion of the song and it's a clear target eradicating track worth the price of the 7" by itself. Following is a cover off Onslaught's cult classic Power from Hell, "Thermonuclear Devastation". Before Onslaught became too full of themselves, Power From Hell, and The Force were laid to wax for timeless enjoyment. Thermonuclear Devastation is an apt track for Whipstriker to do justice.
Black Knife's occupation of side B is more rock-and-roll than Whipstriker's metal assault. This is likely due to the clear punk influence which the band relies on. Also providing two tracks, "Chained to the Grave" and "Slow Death" Black Knife are different enough from Whipstriker to stand out stylistically, and present themselves as equals. Even if neither of these two tracks is as gripping as "Flying Dead," as a combination, perhaps Black Knife offers more for the listener who doesn't care much about an Onslaught cover track. Hellwulv's vocals are raw and presented with velocity. Midnight comes to mind immediately as well as Lustrum, who Black Knife have similarly shared wax with. "Slow Death" comes across as the punkier of the tracks, probably due to Hellwulv's simplistic drumming. The two tracks together are a solid pairing and will definitely fill the needs of metal-punks seeking their next band of consistency. Black Knife has been very consistent over the course of their output, and won't disappoint, as they haven't disappointed me. This 7" is available through Husk Records. The noteworthy noire artwork is by artist Yuri Costa.
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