I do like “Black Horse of Famine”, which was one of the first songs they ever wrote. With that being said, the tune is more of a punk galloping song, as that is how the band was when they first started out. The song was strongly influenced by Motörhead. It gallops and is fun. The recording quality is most excellent on this. David Garnett, who entered the band in 2020, due to Sy no longer being able to tour, was the vocalist on Generation Antichrist, which is a very scorching Onslaught album. On these redone classics, yes, David is a polished thrash metal singer-I will give him that. However, the enunciation of every single syllable, every word, and every letter, for me, is downright irritating to say the least.

The classic “Power From Hell” is upgraded with the sound of better musicianship and production, and it’s actually very well done. The original 1985 classic has a menace with original vocalist Paul Mahoney, with his snarly, gravely vocals. That is missing here as David comes across a bit vanilla and typical as a thrash metal vocalist. Some of the time signature changes, like around the 2.40 time stamp, I think, add some extra oomph and creativity to the mix.

“Let There Be Death”, from The Force, benefits from some improved double bass drums in the beginning, but remember this is from Onslaught’s “Reign in Blood”, imo. There’s some double bass over the fast parts. David tries to harness the evilness of Sy’s pretty demonic, and evil vocals from 1986. It’s not all that bad. When he dips into some of his lower semi-death metal registers, with spitting out the song title, it is actually pretty cool. Again, the over-enunciation of the lyrics is overkill! “In Search of Sanity” and “Shellshock”, from the underrated In Search of Sanity album, for me come across the strongest in terms of vocals and music. The gang vocals on “Shellshock” are excellent.

Disc 2 begins with “Iron Fist” (Motörhead cover), arguably, one of the catchiest punkish/metal songs ever written. The music is there, but well the vocals again take away with the enunciation and way too perfect way of playing and singing this song. The galloping pace is cool and is well done. “Holiday in Cambodia” (Dead Kennedys cover) is actually done well, and I feel David does his best work on this album. It sounds like the band was having fun recording this – I like that. The Sabbath “War Pigs” classic is overall done well, paying respect to one of the greatest metal songs ever written, and the variety of other covers, like from Discharge and The Exploited, are played with conviction..

Sometimes, less is more is the way to go, when a band decides to re-record their songs or do cover songs. All the redone songs and covers on Origins of Aggression are played too perfectly, the production is too perfect, and the vocals are way too perfect to capture every single word written on all of these songs. This approach, for me, just makes these renditions just plain meh. Like, for instance, I appreciate when a band changes things up. Take a look at a band like Krisiun. When they have done covers of some of their favorite bands, they mix shit up and throw blast beats in the mix and make the songs their own. When bands do shot-for-shot, take-for-take of covers and their own songs, to me is pointless.

When Onslaught reformed in 2004, it was the intent of main man Nige Rockett to make the band a full-time destructive force and a mere three years later they released the outstanding reunion album – Killing Peace.  It was definitely Onslaught tried and true; however with better musical equipment and productions, the band added an extra layer of thrash metal crunch.  To some extent, their updated sound had/still has a modern-day Exodus approach with the super heavy crunchy thrash metal guitar riffing.  The music – was just as evil and even better played then their 80’s output.  Onslaught then went on tours and was and still are prominent in the scene.

Sounds of Violence, in 2011, was their newest album, at the time.  10 songs in 45 minutes (2 were an intro and outro, though) and it was face ripping, but saw Onslaught concentrate a little more on groovier, tank-tread heavy passages.  The thrash speed was still there – however it was scaled back a tinge, than their previous effort.

AFM Records decided to reissue this 2011 album late in 2022 in a deluxe 2 cd format.  The first disc includes the original album and the bonus disc contains live songs and the bonus songs from the limited edition Sounds of Violence are incorporated as well.  If you never had that Japanese press of Sounds of Violence, well now dear fan, you have the bonus songs-yeah!  The album has a brief intro before the scorching “Born for War” erupts – having a very Slayer(ish) tone – think “War Ensemble” from Slayer.  “Born for War” is so darn catchy with the chorus:  Life or death or death of life. Death immortal mortal life. Live for dying pure. Death is waiting.  Born for war. Raining hate the blood runs red – Burning hatred only friend.  Born for war. Embryonic death machine.. Born for war.  Pretty brutal lyrics describing the nasty side of fighting in a war.  The music is damn heavy thrash metal.  The groove components are mixed in rather well and makes the speed moments truly shine.  The title track having a monster heavy riff-laden approach – with some mid-paced thrash elements.  The title track is one of the best songs Onslaught has written and I can imagine thrashers headbanging to this song in unison.  The variety of vocals/spoken word vocals really stretched the pipes of Sy Keeler, who I was saddened to see leave the band in 2020 – but the man has a family so he did the honorable thing.

“Godhead” was another standout with its opening thrash part and mid-paced heaviness – simply crushing.  The opening lyrics, as many of their lyrics, are venomous towards religion and the band pulled no punches on this track:  Jesus is religion is religion so pure.  Eternal supplication to the son of a whore.  Evangelizing masses with a vision of war.  Infectious propaganda is the killer of the cure. Children of god they hear no evil. Children of god they see no evil.  Children of god they speak no evil.Children of god pure fucking evil.  The song has some of the fastest thrashy parts the band has done, with that real fast part with the guitar solo is a true eargasm.

The bonus disc includes the well-done “Bomber” –  (Motörhead cover) as well as the band covering and updating original songs from Power from Hell: “Angels of Death” and “Thermo Nuclear Devastation of the Planet Earth”.  All killer renditions.  The 5 live songs span their 80’s era up to and including their last full length – from 2020- Generation Antichrist which was the debut of their new singer David Garnett.  The original album cover has been sharpened with a few minor added elements for enhancement purposes.  If you have the original album this may not be up your alley, but I must say the bonus disc is worth it.  Excellent and respectful reissue of the original.

Obviously, the pandemic has had influences on bands and band members leaving the scene due to the music scene uncertainty.  Long time vocalist, Sy Keeler departed Onslaught before the recording of Generation Antichrist.  Because I love his vocals so much I was skeptical if the band would regroup, but new vocalist David Garnett does a fine job. Actually, since the last album other than bassist Jeff Williams and founder, guitarist, Nige Rockett the rest of the band are new members.  James Perry on drums and Wayne Dorman on guitar – both joining 2 years ago.

The slow burn instrumental “Rise to Power” gets things underway in this brisk 9 song 38 minute thrashing madness of an album.  There are some vocals and I can hear newcomer David Garnett attempting to emulate Sy Keeler’s snarling thrash vocals and he sounds decent.  Then “Strike Fast Strike Hard” comes in with monstrous double bass and amazing bass guitar work.  The ripping riffs of Nige are on full display.  I always looked at him as what Gary Holt is to Exodus.  The man with the riffs.  Really coming up with some of the best thrash metal right alongside Exodus.   Excellent chorus and some vicious venomous vocals spewing forth from the new guy – sounding really good.  Mid-way into the song we get a nice slow down beat down riff with some awesome guitar melodies over the brutality and then right into a ripping guitar solo over the fast part – on fucking point!!

“Bow Down to the Clowns” has a monstrous mid-paced opening sequence where I just want to see people swinging from here to Jupiter – insanely heavy.  More awesome chorus moments, where a tight little blast beat erupts right before the chorus comes in.   The mid-paced rumbling heaviness is so fucking heavy it has a Bolt Thrower slight influence to it.  After the solo at the 2.55 part the repeated words over the drums and guitars is killer and David letting out a little death metal growl and right into an awesome rhythm section.  The title track is the longest song at close to 6 minutes and some news media spoken words in the beginning – I was thinking this is sounding like Ministry.  The minute mark starts the true nature of the song with the Holy Shit guitar riff right before the fast thrash speed and the song brings it back into the monster mid-paced rumbling heaviness.  The song alternates between mid-paced heaviness and faster passages as David throws in some death metal grunts as well.

“Religiousuicide” is a goddamned ferocious song with killer anti-religious lyrics with some catchy passages with the well placed chorus and words:  “Hanging on the Holy Cross judicious parasite, Religion takes it up the Ass is Jesus Fucking Christ”.  This is my favorite lyrical passage for 2020.  It’s brutal, catchy and really one of the most ferociously angry songs Onslaught has ever written.  Where this chorus is placed then right into the fast moment is genius. The rest of the songs are also outstanding and Onslaught – no surprise have released the best thrash metal album for 2020.  There are lots of great thrash metal albums this year but

Generation Antichrist is truly next level shit, mofos.  Also I’ve always loved that Onslaught has always flirted with death metal, slightly, on a bunch of their releases.   Their songs have that extra oomph and evilness that trad thrash metal bands do not have.  It’s why ever since The Force they have continued to remain in my top tier of bands.  The production is top notch.  The guitars are incredibly heavy, the bass guitar is audible, the drums and double bass hit hard and welcome to the fold Mr. Garnett – he does a phenomenal job.  It really seems the band have tried to craft him into a singer emulating Sy’s vocals – because he sounds very similar and even throws in some death metal vocal snarls, something Sy would do now and again too.  David does them a little more often – so you know this guy appreciates it very much.  The album cover I am not sure about though.  Onslaught going for a safe cover where I kind of wanted the album cover to depict more of the album name and lyrical themes of the music.  But the colors are nice and having their classic logo adorning the album certainly stands out.

Generation Antichrist is fantastic through and through, with outstanding songs, musicianship and severe head banging catchiness.  Onslaught continues to be at the forefront of the thrash metal scene and are head and shoulders above bands who outsell them.  This is the best thrash metal album for 2020 – phenomenal!!

First things first, I have a confession to make – I’m not all that familiar with the works of Onslaught. I listened to their 2007 “comeback” album Killing Peace a few times, but it never really stuck with me, so going back to hear the older stuff got put on the back burner. They’re just one of those bands that I’ve been familiar with by name for some time but never got around to really diving into. So I can’t comment much on the song selection, but can tell you what’s here and about the sound quality.

Everything on the album comes from the bands performance at the 2008 Damnation Festival in Leeds, England. There’s not much chit chat or between song banter going on – they just bash out song after song. The album opens with the scathing title track from their last album, “Killing Peace”, the one song I do remember enjoying. Also from that album comes “Destroyer of Worlds”, “Planting Seeds of Hate”, and “Burn”. From their classic era, they completely passed on including anything from 1989’s In Search of Sanity – I’m guessing it wasn’t exactly a fan favorite. From The Force there’s “Let There Be Death”, “Metal Forces” and “Demoniac”, and from the debut Power From Hell, they close the album/set with the title track. I should also mention that when the set ends, someone, I’m not sure who or if it was possibly a part of their set at the show, included the beginning snippet of The Door’s “The End”, and fades as soon as the vocals kick in. A strange touch I thought.

As far as sound quality goes, it was mixed by Andy Sneap, so you know it’s clear as can be. The vocals seem to be pushed forward a little too far in the mix, but that’s a pretty minor gripe when compared to just how clear it is for a live album.

Once again I can’t comment on the song selection as I’m not familiar with the material really, but at the minimum fans should be pleased with the sound quality. Certainly a release for the diehards only.