Kentucky-based Tombstalker have been making racket with their death-thrash since 2008. On their debut full–length, Black Crusades, the band attempts to rein in their focus and lean more on death metal’s grimier side. And what they lack in originality they make up for with their Gothenburg inspired melodies and d-beat punk energy. There’s nothing new or genre–defying here and it doesn’t always totally work, but it’s another step in the right direction for a  band that has revealed great promise in the past.

In their infancy, Tombstalker sounded like a thrashy Motörhead with a growling monster of a singer. But they’ve gotten heavier and darker with each release, and Black Crusades continues that trend. Standing out the most are the high quality riffs that on previous works were buried under the aggressive pacing. The band’s venomous nature is still intact and with a tighter grip on malevolent death metal, their sound is thicker and well rounded.

On “Chaos Undivided” and “Chaos Enthroned” the band goes full on old school with some punchy, Bolt Thrower-inspired death grooves. In addition, the band brings in a melodic side reminiscent of the Gothenburg sound, making the end result a satisfying one. (Even though the latter hangs around a few minutes longer than it should.) 

Even with those intermittent melodies, there’s still plenty of grit at the album’s core. Bassist Chuck McIntyre’s low rumble creates a dark, murky atmosphere while vocalist Anton Escobar sounds like a man possessed behind the microphone. Escobar also shows his guitar proficiency with some intricate fretwork in several places throughout and his riffs are superior to anything found on their previous efforts.

Highlight “Plague Father” is a straightforward death metal track with barbaric percussion. The mood here is sinister and the breakneck pacing slows a bit. The growls are harsher, the leads are sharper and the groove is simply infectious. All told, this is where the band is at their best and where their focus is perfectly placed. 

Unfortunately, a couple of tracks end up overstaying their welcome, falling into standard fare riffs and noodling for the sake of time. One of the band’s many strengths is in their short burst songs that make quick and deadly impressions but these moments of overindulgence feel bloated and unnecessary.  

Black Crusades is peppered with good moments and overall is a strong debut. Tombstalker have come a long way in a short amount of time, and have made huge strides focusing in on their strengths. Still, you get the sense listening here that their best work is yet to come.

-Josh

Black Crusades will be available November 13 on Shadow Kingdom Records. For more information on Tombstalker visit their Facebook page.