Review by Greg on December 25, 2023.

Apart from the well-known Evile, a band which I'll forever be grateful to for introducing me to thrash metal, and the pretty humorous Gama Bomb which I was never too fond of, United Kingdom seems content to leave the neo-thrash spotlight to other countries, just like back in the days. Outside of these two bands, I'm quite unfamiliar with the scene going on in British land, and if a casual listen to the rather unspectacular Abadden some time ago was any indication, I was quick to imply that every other band coming from the other side of the Channel just didn't have much to offer. I'm no stranger to this kind of prejudices, unfortunately, but if nothing else I always seek to disprove myself because, you know, in that case I'd earn something interesting to headbang to, so everybody wins (except my fallacious logic). Personal struggles aside, here I am, spinning the latest work from four British guys who, from the aesthetics and the moniker, promise serious business.

Shrapnel have been around for more than a decade now, the only constant being the two talented axemen Chris Martin (rhythm) and Nathan Sadd (lead), and for their third offering Palace for the Insane they welcomed back original drummer Chris Williams (who had left before their first full-length) and found a new voice in Aarran Tucker, who replaces founder Jae Hadley and handles bass duties as well. Right from their debut The Virus Conspires (2014), they established themselves as a rising force on British soil, at the same time beginning a process of maturation and refinement all the way to the crucial landmark of the third full-length release. Is this actually their peak of brilliance, or have they sacrificed their initial flare at the 'bland music for smart metalheads' altar (Havok immediately comes to my mind)? One listen to any riff on this album will be enough to wipe any doubt from your mind: you can bet your sweet ass they're here to make a lasting impression.

While comparisons to the two bands I mentioned at the beginning may emerge at a first casual listen, Shrapnel mainly do their own thing, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. You may pick up some instances where Tucker's vocals may resemble Matt Drake's more aggressive delivery, with the notable difference that, outside of these moments, the new vocalist usually sounds harsher and closer to a Nick Melissourgos/Riley Gale hybrid, at times even mimicking the most recent Tom Angelripper snarl. So far, so good, right? There's also a sprinkle of metalcore-esque sung vocals, if you mind (think of grittier Atreyu cleans), and in some songs he's joined by his more Teutonic-styled predecessor, but I found no tangible contrast. The riffwork is, if I were to sum it up in a word, refreshing, just like the Northern Irish crew maybe, but in all honesty it settles in a different league. Shrapnel's continuous tempo shifts bring that sense of 'calculated aggression' (not unlike Evile in this regard, I admit) that's typical of modern thrash metal (it goes without saying that you can already imagine the album production based on these premises, though I preferred Russ Russell's work on the previous releases), but even if that's never been your cup of tea, you can still trust me when I say that the guys are also excellent songwriters.

With Palace for the Insane, whatever Shrapnel lost in frontal aggression (the drummer change may be a factor), they gained in sound variety and influences. I have to be honest, in spite of their arduous efforts to spice things up, I've always had a soft spot for fast, stupid thrash metal, so after the first, multifaceted half, a part of me was starting to seek for some more adrenaline-pumping, boneheaded stuff. Needless to say, they anticipated my thoughts and out of nowhere they delivered 'Infernal Choir' (with a guest solo by Xentrix's Kristian Havard) and the absolutely monster 'The Mace' which alone is worth the price of the album. Still, Shrapnel doesn't want to rest on their laurels too much as they effortlessly bounce between impressive modern thrash anthems ('Might of Cygnus', 'Bury Me Alive', the title-track) and mid-tempo stompers which never feel dull or half-assed ('Turn Off the Lights', 'Violent Now, Forever'). A special mention for the apocalyptic 'Future Sight' which, dare I say, would have worked even better as the closer, with its solemn pace and quasi-singalong nature, and the melancholic 'Begin Again', which is sensibly very emotional for the band as it's dedicated to a late friend of theirs. The latter may as well be Sadd's crowning achievement so far – that solo in the middle is truly heartfelt.

Palace for the Insane is by no means a short album, but it manages to keep you interested for all its 50+ minutes, and that's never an easy feat. I always like when I find the strongest songs outside of the singles/video choices ('Salt the Earth' was not among my favourites), and overall my impression is that it picks up steam more and more as it progresses. As a footnote, for what it's worth, I also appreciated their hard-working attitude and their activity on social medias, and I hope all the best for their career (and to catch them at a live show, who knows). Overall, easily one of my best 'discoveries' in recent times. Now I rest assured there's hope for the Old England.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10