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CRIPPLING MADNESS
Władcy nocy

Putrid Cult (2023)
Rating: 9/10

I’m loving the tone of this Polish death / thrash outburst, and one cannot overlook the classic Sepultura vibes on this sophomore outing from a band which formed back in 2015.

A hell of a lot of bands are attempting a throwback metal style by way of employing old school techniques, more so in production, but Crippling Madness has perfectly fused the sizzling fury of Slayer’s Reign In Blood and Sepultura’s Schizophrenia; the result being a catchy yet raw and primitive bark of scorching vocal snaps, crisp but organic riffs and thudding bass and percussion.

If you like mid-80s aggressive thrash yet laced with death metal snarls then you can’t go wrong with this lethal dose. Vocalist Boroth has that early Max Cavalera vibe – his words are punched out in an almost dehydrated fashion – while alongside him the axe attack of Bek and Pater form a formidable wall of devastation.

How these guys have managed to so successfully and authentically produce such an old school feel is beyond me. Flashes of Vader slip in at times, but that South American styling is very much the key here. There are eight tracks on offer, all written with Polish lyrics but such is the mayhemic fury you can’t help but feel you’re back in the 80s and you’ve stumbled upon some furious obscurity in the import racks.

I could easily dismiss such a record as just another heap of nostalgia metal played by guys desperate to channel the halcyon days, but the reality is that Władcy nocy is one of the finest examples of vintage metal worship and it’s already an album of the year contender. Buy it… keep it underground.

Neil Arnold

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