Thrash metal may no longer dominate the mainstream, but with Divine in Ruin, West Midlands outfit Mount Slatra deliver a reminder of why the genre mattered in the first place and where it could evolve next. Drawing from the Big Four — yet injecting fresh thematic grit, the band fuse classic speed and bite with modern storytelling. Even the artwork nods to tradition, a half-built pharaoh statue in the desert evoking Shelley’s Ozymandias and the decay of empires.
Opener Fists of the Fallen erupts with volcanic force, its Pompeii-inspired intro giving way to rapid-fire riffs and an anthemic chorus, a proper thrash call to arms. Scorched Earth shifts gears into a doom/groove trudge, bleakly painting a surveillance-haunted future. By contrast, Mr Axe embraces tongue-in-cheek slasher vibes, following a Ripper-like figure through gore and chaos.
Cult of the Heavens showcases a blunt no-punches-pulled takedown of organised religion, while Battalion charges into war-torn landscapes with a fiery breakdown built for the pit. Closing anthem Soul Thief, already a crowd favourite, cements their stance with anti-war themes, bolstered by Chaplin’s Great Dictator speech and the unforgettable chorus: “Serve, Suffer, Die.”
Across six tracks, Divine in Ruin pays homage without imitation, revitalising thrash with fresh urgency and conviction. It’s sharp, heavy, and unashamedly relevant. Proof that thrash’s legacy isn’t in ruins just yet.
Catch Mount Slatra celebrating the release of Divine in Ruin at Spin the Black Circle, Worcester, September 6th.
By Kate Dawes