Exclusive premiere – Bangladeshi thrash metal band Psychotron

Bangladesh is known for its old school metal and the country’s thrash metal scene in particular is commendable. I first chanced upon Dissector, which I felt was terribly underrated (and indeed an attempt was made by Transcending Obscurity Distribution to reissue it but perhaps that is something only the future will tell now). Enmachined and Thrash are other acts, but more recently, Surtur and Exalter have made a mark. It’s indeed exciting to see yet another thrash release emanating from that country, going by the name Psychotron.

Grinder is the last song on the four-track EP titled ‘Lethal Paralysis’. As you would expect, it’s gritty and old school, perhaps dating back to the slightly earlier phase of thrash when bands like Forbidden, Devastation and Overkill were putting out albums. Influences apart, the pure grit here is what’s it’s about. With thrash, you need it to sound authentic, which it does over here – nothing is forced, nor is it infected by modern influences. If you’re attempting to do something old school, let it sound convincing. The vocals are shrieked somewhat in an unconventional manner (reminiscent of Enmachined) and that’s refreshing rather than have the same Tom Araya-esque ones. The mix could’ve been better but that’s just nitpicking, and considering that this is only the band’s debut, it’s all right. The artwork rules. I’m tempted to check out the whole release as it’s oozing with raw potential, and if the band can sustain the initial momentum, I’m sure they can carve out a good future for them.

The release date is May 28th and the label, Mortuary Records, will begin shipping on the 29th.

Check out the band on Facebook and on the label’s Bandcamp page.