Terravore – Vortex of Perishment

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Bulgarian old school “thrash-o-death” metal band TERRAVORE is touted as “Eastern Europe’s answer to KREATER, REVENANT and BRUTALITY”. Formed in the early spring of 2015, Kalin Buchvarov of MASS CREMATION and Ivan Lazarov of ABDUCTOR and NEMA LABAVO first started the project under a different name. After the addition of drummer Trendafil Trendafilov, the band name was finalized and changed to TERRAVORE. They would remain as a trio as they recorded their EP “Apocalyptic Impact” in 2016, demo “Spectrium of Death” in 2017 and their full-length debut “Unforeseen Consequences” later in 2017. In the beginning of 2018, they would finally add lead/second guitarist Boyko Nikolev, making the band a quartet at last. The band would release an EP “We Came to Destroy”, a split with fellow Bulgarian thrash metal band MANY MORE, and a demo, “II” all in 2019 in preparation for their second full-length LP. The band has been busy on the live stage as well playing on several national tours alongside KREATOR, SUICIDAL ANGELS, CHRONOSPHERE, and PYOGENESIS to name just a few.

Right from the cover album art, you know you’re getting some classic thrash with a dark turn. With a color palette closer to a MORBID ANGEL album yet the image conjures up DEMOLISTION HAMMER’s 1992 albums “Epidemic of Violence” with heads on spikes but with an even more gruesome take as some of the meat is still on the bones of these skeletons, slowing being devoured by some foul-looking monstrosities, it’s a striking image. The music is a fast, and intense match to it, with the old school thrash sound and a generous helping of death metal influence mixed in. Starting off the album with “Poltergeist” gives that perfect hit of nostalgia starting off with gloriously grand duel guitar slow, melodic leads until the crushing fast alternate picked verse hits you hard in the face. Vocals are delivered both in the group chants punctuating the quick and fast lyrics of Buchvarov. He uses Kerry King speak-singing grunts at times but also hits the death metal growls at times, hitting just the right amount of heaviness that – in my belief – the thrash style always needs to embrace.

But the biggest standout is the solos on this. Heavy, melodic, and pulled off flawlessly, adding lead guitarist Nikolev was an excellent choice and propelled this album above all their previous work. The songwriting is spot on and I never felt the album dragging or wanting to skip a track. I could go on and on about the guitar tone as well, it hits that perfect itch for high treble fast picking work but is still crushing when a held power chord comes. It’s surprising and exhilarating to learn that this is only the band’s second full-length because they have perfected their blend of the thrash and death metal perfectly and I can only assume they have much more to offer in the years ahead.

Songwriting: 9
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 9
Production: 10