It has been a while since I have heard any new thrashy death metal releases. Luckily, Canada’s Liberatia come in like a tornado through a trailer park with their most recent offering titled Where the Wretched Lie Slain. This four track EP includes two singles they have released within the past two years since their debut album The Keeper, plus two new tracks as well. Might I say, this EP is everything I had hoped I would hear from a band of this caliber. Everything comes together exquisitely as each track plays. The vocals are as ferocious as you would find from bands like The Black Dahlia Murder, Atheist, At The Gates and Gammacide which flow fluidly through the fast paced drum work and headbanging-est, beer chugging-est, catchiest riffs I have heard in a long time.
Usually I would pick out a track or two that stood out as highlights to me but there is not just a simple answer to that. This whole EP is a highlight reel for this group. The first track ‘Upon This Night, and My Skin of Blue…’ instantly gets you pumped and ready, the next track is straight forward audial assault in the best way possible, ‘The Flayed Man’ is just, “Holy crap, my neck hurts from headbanging” and ‘Bog Witch’ is the perfect way to close out the whole EP. There is nothing bad to say at all about Where the Wretched Lie Slain. It’s equal parts brutal, heavy and thrashy all at the same time. If you’re a fan of Miasma-era The Black Dahilia Murder on cocaine with a battle vest on and ready to kick your ass in the mosh pit, then I don’t see what is stopping you from grabbing a copy right now. You can thank me later after your neck hurts from headbanging to these tracks on repeat.
“Where The Wretched Lay Slain” Artwork by: Maxwell Aston
https://www.facebook.com/maxwellastonart/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiberatiaBand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liberatiaofficial/
Bandcamp: https://liberatia.bandcamp.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA-zzfwnkeBOVDSmRZOeN1Q
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4M8Yh7Jayn5Y2VrYp0O6DW
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/liberatia/1357957027
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Review by Neil Andersen
