Spider Kickers – Necrosupper (Sleaszy Rider Records)
Monday, 8th April 2024
Another legendary band from the underground thrash/death movement, Greek quartet Spider Kickers have been ‘kicking’ (pun intended) around since 1986 – releasing a series of demos before The Northwest Emperor their first full-length came out in 1997. They signed with Sleaszy Rider for the third record VIII Division which came out in 2007 – now hitting the streets with this seventh album in Necrosupper. With minor changes afoot (new bassist Chris Zois entering the mix, Varathron’s Achilleas Kalantzis serving as supervisor/producer), this material continues to prove that the band’s fierce impact has that adequate balance of power, speed, and energy at various mid-tempo to slightly faster clips that many fans of Teutonic or US artists crave.
The frantic transitions often go from low to high gear in an instant, projecting that chaotic, unexpected aspect that keeps ears perked up for the next aural salvo launched. Check into “As the Blood Descends” – where everything from a slower main verse march hook mutates into somber/fierce vocal attacks, frenzied lead parts, and this sequence that moves into blast beat mania before returning to these dual harmony / rhythm runs that will smash bodies easily. A love of Slayer, Morbid Angel, Sodom, and Legion of the Damned can be ascertained from the tight axe work against the thorough speed, thrash to death abilities within the hands/feet of drummer James Edouarth – who also doubles on vocals where he has an evil low-pitched roar to his possessed delivery (think a mix of classic David Vincent next to Johnny of Unleashed) that sends chills to mirror the musical output. As brutal as the music can be, there’s always that melodic or mystical essence in spots – “Delirium Tremens” allowing guitarist Kostas Pap Spider that ample opportunity to unfurl exotic, emotive textures in his riff choices plus supplemental lead spots. Favorites include the mind-altering “When Darkness Reigns” that goes from Kreator-ish main verses to deadly blasting death madness before returning to this Teutonic mid-tempo thrash movement that gets metalheads going mad as well as the punishing “Perish on Hate” where they tap into more of their love of Florida death metal in most of the intense passages.
Five years beyond the previous Ektroma record, Spider Kickers need to be hailed for perseverance sake as you have to embrace unbridled passion for death/thrash to be going almost forty years at this point in a scene where it’s more of a glorified hobby over sustaining a living. Necrosupper should be one of those hidden gems for those that like down to earth thrash with speed/death overtones.
