Review by Felix on August 13, 2023.

The name Tyranex is not completely new to me, because I stumbled about it from time to time when I checked mailorder lists. I gave the band a chance every now and then, but their music never really convinced me. It was a case of neither too bad nor good enough. More or less the same goes for Reasons For The Slaughter.

Tyranex does not lack technical skills and some parts are truly exciting, for instance the beginning of 'Rise From The Dead'. The instrumentalists are able to create sharp, swift and precise thrash metal and they have obviously inhaled the old school doctrine of the genre. Nevertheless, there is a detail that does not fit very well. I am speaking of the female vocals. On the one hand, Linnea does not copy the growling approach of the German thrash queen Sabina. That’s probably a good decision, because therefore she avoids a monotonous performance. But her high-pitched screaming with some trace elements of Doro-like singing also does not hit the bull’s eye. Dawn Crosby (R.I.P.), where are you? Somehow the singing reminds one of a pubescent girl who doesn't know whether she is still a child or already an adult. That’s a pity, because Linnea does not lack passion or power. Furthermore, she strikes the high tones impressively, but somehow she is not able to use her potential in the best possible way.

But it is not only Linnea or the mega-bad, infantile artwork that are problematic. (Will the multi-coloured disfigurement of thrash albums ever stop?) The compositions also leave room for improvement. For example, the slow parts of 'Megalomania' try to create a dangerous, menacing atmosphere, but in fact they sound pretty powerless. Either way, vapid sequences are the exception, not the norm. Mostly the Swedes present solid, furious thrash metal. The title track with its bulky beginning and its later good flow makes fun and siren Linnea shows her best performance due to some alarming high-pitched screams. Her contribution to the speedy bridge of the track is amazing. Unfortunately other tracks are not immune against colorless verses that devalue their great choruses to a certain degree ('Pyromaniac').

The production helps the album a lot, because it is clean, but not sterile. Its directness embodies the never hesitating character of thrash and last but not least it builds a resilient bridge between the old days and modernity. And, as a special service for bass guitarists, it demonstrates that it is possible to record a thrash album without forgetting the four strings. 'Wipe Out' is the last track which profits from this technical implementation. It’s another acceptable, decent song, but at least one minute too long. So my conclusion is that every curious old school thrasher can lend an ear to this work – maybe they become fans of Linnea’s vocals and Tyranex as a whole. For me Reasons For The Slaughter is a little seven.

Rating: 7 out of 10