We cover a lot heavy, dark, and contemplative shit here at Nine Circles. And more often than not, that stuff’s pretty good! But every now and again, you need a band that just rips the proverbial band-aid off, cracks a beer or four, and has some fuckin’ fun. And friends, right now, I think that band is Night Slasher. On their new, self-titled full-length, the Lithuanian black/speed merchants go full-throttle from minute one. It doesn’t particularly break any new ground, but it is an aggressive, reckless and highly enjoyable record.

So, it shouldn’t really come as any surprise that the guys in Night Slasher know how to let loose. The Vilnius-based quartet formed from the ashes of beer-drenched throwback thrash band Alcotopia, whose lone album It Hits the Spot demonstrated a similar adeptness for simply not-giving-a-fuck-and-rocking-out. But after retiring that project and adopting the Night Slasher moniker last year, the band appears to have unlocked both some new gears and a previously unseen, gritty edge.

Night Slasher makes it abundantly clear, right from the get-go, that they’re not here for any nonsense, thankyouverymuch. The introductory guitar squeals on opener “Ice” perfectly mimic a set of tires screeching across a smoke-filled highway, which is a thing any good speed metal record should try to do at least once. The track is the perfect template for what the rest of the album’s gonna throw your way: razor-sharp guitar riffage; persistent, bludgeoning drum work; and a filthy, feral performance from vocalist Laurynas Karka.

Hope you’re ready to get kicked in the teeth a whole bunch here, because changes of pace are few and far between. Songs like “Liver Ripper” or “Towers” flirt with Sabbath-esque doom metal for the first minute or so, before launching into all-out tirades. Ditto “Ablaze,” although its excursion lasts about half as long, and the devastation that follows rages even more furiously. (And, oh hey, if a great solo is your jam, you won’t want to miss guitarist Juozapas Bočkus’ arpeggiated frenzy at the end.)

At the end of the day, Night Slasher is just a fun fuckin’ record, guys. If you enjoy the early Hellripper material — or, hell, any of Midnight’s stuff — you’re probably gonna get a kick out of this. Or a swift kick in the ass. Tomato, tomahto.

Keep it heavy,
—Dan

---

Night Slasher is available now via Sliptrick Records. For more information on Night Slasher, visit the band’s Facebook page.