RAPID REVIEW

RAPID - ENTER THE REALM OF FIRE

Spanning a decade already in the metal hotbed that is Finland, Rapid take that filthy 80s sound of both NWOBHM and favelas and  uniquely spin in their own punkish distored way without sounding at all like another throwaway Venōmhead clone. The cesspool sure is deep so Rapid makes damn sure to avoid it lest being called ordinary and just plain redundant.

We get a fairly standard horror-filmesque introduction with a segue right into the raw, ripping fast "Witchcraft of Horror" distorted and muddled to High Hell for the extra emphasis on ancient proto-black metal speed. Next is the bass-forward uplifting romp of "Wielder of Might (Death from Above)" which has a massively NWOBHM-inspired breakdown and even some chanted vocals on top of it all. The band can even dabble in some doom-laden madness with "Gaze of the Black Void" and it confluence of Hellhammer and Black Sabbath degredation into insanity. Back to NWOBHM Land we go with "Pest Eater" and its riff exchanges and raw, moldy overall atmosphere. Showing a bit of calm but certainly no hesitation "The Path of Illusions" is a moody, psychedelic piece that feels brief yet manages to still thoroughly captivate. Finallly we get the lengthy, somewhat epic, and rather unhinged "Beyond the Gates of the Rapid Flames" is a true heavy black speed thrash liturgy of tempo changes, melodies, dissonance, various vocal attacks and a general bizarre menagerie of all this metal and Hell.

Instead of being prone to being clones, Rapid leave their own bloodstained mark upon the masses of raw and rapacious metal madness that transcends any era and consummately captures the true essence of what the music and lifestyle shall represent. The Metal Gods are indeed satisfied as a new crop of fresh blood enters the scene destined for greatness and casting all pretends aside to grovel desperately at their feet!

9/10