Bolt Thrower
War Master (FDR Remaster)

The third album by British death-militarists Bolt Thrower (the second on the legendary underground label Earache, where the band became one of the most significant along with Carcass, Napalm Death and Morbid Angel) was a transitional one for its creators in creative terms: not yet completely freed from the influences of thrash and grindcore (this will happen a year later), the legendary Birmingham band, nevertheless, has already practically acquired an individual style, the embodiment of which can be characterized as in places quite "viscous" epic death with minor-tragic guitar overtones, episodic distinct admixture of doom, inspired legible growling and at times a little "heavy", but at the same time inexorably rushing forward, like an enraged rhinoceros, rhythm section. And even though 1991 turned out to be an extremely productive year for death metal (many bands on both sides of the Atlantic released killer releases in this genre), “War Master” definitely didn’t get lost in the general background, once again confirming the highest class and absolute uniqueness of one of the most original British bands not from the position of extreme technical performance, but in terms of the emotional and aesthetic appeal of the musical material. Emotional penetration is generally a kind of “hobbyhorse” and the primary key to understanding the serious popularity of this particular band, which is nevertheless in the deep musical “underground”. The inevitability of coming face to face with an enemy whose ferocity is at least as great as your own, the constant feeling of being on the brink of the grave, the sober understanding that posthumous honors are a poor consolation for the loss of life in the prime of life, and at the same time help to win in the name of higher matters than personal survival, rage and courage - all this is present in the music and lyrics of BT in full measure. This record from the formidable "Ballista" from Foggy Albion gave metal fans all over the world such indisputable hits, forever included in the band's concert program, as "Unleashed upon Mankind", "Cenotaph" and "War Master". And although the image of an indestructible muscular warrior, relentlessly sowing death in the enemy camp on the cover and in the album booklet, is a typical fantasy-comic character like Conan the Barbarian, the sensations from listening remain the most realistic and chilling - which, in fact, is what the creators of the album, which has forever entered the "golden fund" of extreme music, were trying to achieve.

I can definitely hear a difference between the FDR and older pressings of this album. Absolutely essential for any Bolt Thrower fan.