CRITICAL DEFIANCE - Rivers of Blood

After the ominous and atmospheric opening of 'Red Omen', 'Innate to Kill' goes straight in for the first kill. Rapid blast beats fly towards you like hammer swings, backed by deep, distorted riffs that seem to grow more chaotic by the minute. The vocals are primal and fiercely aggressive, with occasional gang shouts adding another layer of force to the attack. Towards the end, however, some definition begins to emerge from the chaos as more melodic guitar lines briefly cut through the violence, eventually making way for a more unhinged solo. A vicious first strike that makes it very clear "Rivers of Blood" has no intention of easing us in gently. 

‍

Next up is the title track, 'Rivers of Blood', opening with a brief sample of footsteps moving through what sounds like a rain- and windswept landscape, accompanied by heavy breathing. Then the screams break through, backed by effective drumming and some wonderfully thick riffs. The vocal performance carries a particularly sinister character, shifting between eerie screams and deep growls. The pace may be more restrained than on the tracks before it, but there is still more than enough momentum to make you bang your head and raise your fist. Most surprising, however, is the ending, where almost folk-like melodies suddenly emerge from the violence and finally give you a moment to breathe. 

‍

'Valparaíso' is more than just a song title, it brings CRITICAL DEFIANCE back to the place they call home, giving the track an immediately more personal character. Calm, almost mythical melodies initially unfold above uptempo drumming, carrying a surprisingly uplifting atmosphere before clean guitars briefly chime through. Seconds later, however, we are thrown straight back into the band's raw thrash attack, driven by fast, razor-sharp riffs and drumming beneath a merciless, cut-throat vocal performance delivered in their mother tongue. Towards the end, natural sounds and those more mythical textures return, almost as though the band are bringing a piece of home directly into the music. At times, the track could benefit from being slightly shorter, but then again, perhaps home needs a little space. Even so, some tighter songwriting would have made its strongest moments hit even harder.

‍

'Ceremony Of The Final Call' takes a more atmospheric and melancholic direction. Despite its brief runtime, the instrumental carries plenty of emotion, with beautifully crafted melodies giving each note a sense of meaning. Calm and reflective, it provides a welcome moment of stillness before we head towards the album's final attack. 

‍

Closer 'Glorify War' erupts from a thick, brooding bass line, immediately carrying a sense of intensity and old-school brutality. The riffs cut like knives, while the vocals tear into you like starving wild animals let loose. There is something wonderfully manic about the entire performance, and with another set of excellent solos, something that has been a strength throughout the album, this is one track I would genuinely love to witness live. Wild, aggressive and completely unhinged, 'Glorify War' throws everything into one final attack before, surprisingly, bringing "Rivers of Blood" to an almost calm conclusion. 

‍

With "Rivers of Blood" , CRITICAL DEFIANCE delivers a vicious thrash attack driven by razor-sharp riffs, merciless vocals and some excellent solos. Darker atmospheres and unexpected melodic passages bring welcome depth to the relentless aggression, even if some ideas could have been tightened along the way. Raw, energetic and wonderfully unhinged, "Rivers of Blood" is another strong strike from the Chilean underground.

‍

SCORE 8/10

REVIEWED BY SWAMPY