Review by Benjamin on February 8, 2022.

It's not a very well-kept secret that much of the best new thrash albums seem to emerge from the South American underground these days, and Mental Devastation, from the hyperactive Chilean scene, are no exception. The initial signs are not totally convincing - the band name is slightly generic and the artwork isn't very inspiring, but any concerns are immediately swept aside as the grandiloquent intro gives way to the intense progressive thrash of 'Ascension', which pummels the listener with a slightly filthier take on the classic Bay Area sound, leavened with a dash of the 4-string heroics of Atheist or Cynic, and overlaid with the type of gruff, rhythmic vocals that Peter Dolving brought to The Haunted. The slightly pretentiously-titled The Delusional Mystery Of The Self (Part I) is quite simply a checklist of everything that one would want from a thrash album in 2021 - crunchy rhythm guitars, acrobatic but memorable riffing, labyrinthine arrangements, and some spectacular fleet-fingered lead work. Indeed, the masterful exhibition of well-structured melodicism that each of the lead passages bring to each track is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the record, reminiscent of the work of the incredible Mustaine / Friedman tag-team on "Rust In Peace", and the sections truly enhance the end product in a way that the aimless shredding many thrashers are guilty of would not.

Not unlike some of their compatriots, Mental Devastation manage to deliver modern thrash that sounds like a continuation of the classic sounds of the mid-80s, but without feeling in any way anachronistic, and this is down to the conviction with which they attack each track, as well as the sheer verve and exuberance that they display in tearing through album highlights such as 'Vulcanic Eruptions'. If there is any criticism to be had, it is that the flamenco flourishes of the penultimate instrumental song (this sequencing providing another tip of the hat to the classics) offer a tantalising glimpse of what could be if the band opted to integrate this more deeply into their sound. However, this is not to the detriment of any of the material on this ripping album, but simply new territory to conquer next time round.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10