Review by Felix on October 14, 2024.

It sounds promising when a Swordmaster presents a Deathraider. But it is not written in the books that every promise is kept. The “Death Rider 2000” surfaced already in1998 and we know what it is like sometimes with premature births – they have to struggle. “Deathraider” shares this destiny, but unlike real fighters with strong hearts and an iron will, the EP cannot compete with more mature albums.

Generally speaking, Swordmaster did not leave a big impact on the scene. In hindsight, it is surprising that they were supported by Osmose, a label that usually stands for high quality, especially at the end of the nineties – remember “Panzer Divison Marduk”, “Ugra-karma” or “Diabolical Desecration”. In comparison, Swordmaster’s black/thrash/speed bastard falls by the wayside. This is not just because of the stylistic disorientation which is revealed by this EP. The fourth track is an under-average grindcore-affine wannabe shocker, while the closer, a cover version, has a dark pop appeal. Only the raw vocals remind me that I am listening to a metal output. Okay, EPs can be a field of experimentation, but was it really meant this way? If we consider these tracks, it is only logical that the release has been forgotten quickly.

Fortunately, the first songs give the EP some solid musical substance. The rapid “Death Rider 2000” has aggressive, thrashing verses, a blackened coloring and an almost catchy (but not very exciting) chorus. Anyway, the song is a minute too long and it gets obvious that the production meets the standard, no more, no less. The creaky guitar sound does not make my day, but I would not speak of an evident deficiency. “Firefall of the Fireball” shows that the mix is not an insurmountable hurdle. The track shines with some bone-dry, very aggressive parts. Yet short melodic arcs also reveal a preference for Iron Maiden. These two songs are the (pretty little) highlights of the EP. The third “regular” song, “Necronaut Psychout”, lacks intensity – and almost anything else.

Summing up, “Death Rider” has not withstood the test of time. Not because its glamour has quickly faded, but because there was already little luster here at the time of publication. Needless to say, its artwork also does not make much sense. Four creatures, half-skeleton, and half-human, wave their swords around. What does that have to do with a death rider? Or have the horses beneath them simply been burnt to death in the flames? We will never know.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10