Repentance – Volume I: Reborn (Noble Demon)
Monday, 6th December 2021
A Chicago-based modern thrash act starting up in 2018 and featuring Shaun Glass (ex-Broken Hope/ex-Soil), the band put out a full-length in 2020 entitled God for a Day. With the title Volume I: Reborn, it’s clear that this is not the same band. In fact, Glass is the only original member at this point, with the rest of the band coming during 2021. Not being familiar with their debut, but with the idea of the band being reborn, this short and pounding EP gives a great introduction to a promising new act.
Those seeking a good old fashioned thrashing, along the lines of a band like The Haunted, are bound to get a thrill from Repentance. This is pissed off and firing on all cylinders with no relenting type of thrash, and it hits all the endorphins that it means to. A bit of grooviness, with headbang-inducing riffs is a key element as well, with leadoff track “All the Misery” giving quite a bit of both ingredients and serves as a great showcase to what the band can do. Moments of brutality mesh with chunky, yet still catchy moments to provide maximum steamrolling effect. The title track (which features Trivium’s Corey Beaulieu) reaches all the way in as far as intensity goes and provides a nice opportunity to bring up vocalist Adam Gilley (Product of Hate) and what he brings to the table, vocally. Able to provide some caustic screams and roars, he can also ease into the melodic range for a sec to switch things up without losing the visceral edge that the music provides.
At 20-minutes, Reborn offers just the right amount of material to work for a newer act. You can get a taste of the band’s taste in terms of the barreling aggression and melding of melodic/catchy moments and some excellent soloing (“Down in the Water”). Repentance may be a new name, but with some of the veteran players that make up the act, don’t be surprised to see them making waves in the thrash scene sooner than later.
