They may be from Hamburg, but German trio Detraktor could well be from Brazil, such is their Sepultura worship that is evidenced on this sophomore release. The band formed in 2016 and released their debut album Grinder in 2019 before changing drummer, with Pablo Cortez ing original Boris Pavlov (vocals, bass) and Rafael Dobbs (guitar).
I’m not familiar with the first album but Full Body Stomp is a raw, vicious beast that snarls with aggression from the opening track “Gorilla”. Pavlov’s vocals are harsh, strained, and throaty. The riffs are thick, the sound heavy and Cortez is machine-like in his delivery.
Except for “Seven” which is a seven-minute song, the other tracks are shorter, punishing blasts of thrash metal mixed with plenty of groove. “Seven” extends what the band tend to do on the other songs, and demonstrates potential with a broader, more expansive style, which is pleasing in the face of the more repetitive format of the other tracks. It shows that the band can deliver a wider range, with Dobbs shredding for fun.
Elsewhere it’s simply punishing riffage that should appeal to those who like their thrash solid and uncomplicated. Tracks like “Bear Fight”, and “Evilusion” which features Dirk Weiss (Warpath) are unrefined but do the job with a brutal and punishing sound.
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It’s the second half of the album that really appeals. “I’m The King” has a faint Mordred feel about it, whilst penultimate song “Revenge” brings something a bit different with a Western flavour to the intro before exploding with power. It’s another of the more structured and well composed songs and is another indication that Detraktor have something that might help in their quest for glory. The use of sound clips gives the song depth, and whilst the shouting vocals are predictable, they do work well. And when you think you’ve got the measure of this band, they throw in a beautifully bluesy solo on the final song “Filth Me Up”.
Full Body Stomp has potential. It’s heavy, powerful, and muscular. Well worth a listen for those who like their metal served with plenty of animal instinct, a theme that runs through the album.
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Full Body Stomp is out on November 25th
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