Review by Adam M on October 23, 2023.

Xoth has a nice thrash/death metal flavor to their sound that is somewhat epic in scope.  The sound is a combination of elements from different genres into a collective whole that is splendid to listen to.  Right from the start we are treated to a complex blend of different types of genres into a nice concoction that is powerful and thoughtful.  There is a blackening to the sound that makes it more interesting, though the outfit is most thoroughly thrash metal.  The extended nature of the songs allows them to go through the various formations nicely.  Songs like “The Parasitic Orchestra” illustrate the variety present in these songs.  There is also a melodic side to the band though they perform somewhat harsh elements.  The music is always at once intense and exciting. 

Musical performances on the album are good.  The guitars weave an intense tapestry that is very interesting and impactful at the same time.  Drums pound in the background and add an extra kick to the proceedings.  The juxtaposition of different musical aspects is always compelling and makes for an intriguing sound.  Add in some intense vocals and one has a strong combination of musical components.  Indeed, the musical performances are solid and lead to an enjoyable listen.  There could be an even greater focus on progressiveness in the future, but this is interesting enough as it stands.  The album is constructed in a fashion that is always fun to listen to and a solid foundation for the complexities of the songs to come out.

If there is a flaw to the disc, it is in how it is trapped in thrash tropes and not allowed to move beyond them.  One can sense that the album attempts to be futuristic, which is nice, but is somewhat held back by the thrash sound.  If more progressive death metal was injected into the songs, they would be made more interesting.  This is still a forerunner as far as futuristic thrash goes and has competition from the likes of Vektor.  I find this band to be more entertaining than Vektor.  The futuristic aspect is done nicely and makes the band stand out greatly.

To sum up, this is a refreshing and interesting thrash album that is epic in scope and very compelling.  It has the right thrash aspects, but also pulls from other genres, like black metal, in a very interesting fashion indeed.  The songs are interestingly constructed and feature a number of different movements.   In the future, I would like more focus to be put upon the death metal elements to make the outfit even more interesting.  They combine genres into a blend that is always compelling and interesting to listen to.  Still, the album is confined to thrash tropes and makes for only a moderately interesting listen.  With an attempt to escape these tropes, the band could be even more successful in the future. This comes recommended to thrash fans looking to expand their taste in more futuristic directions.

 Rating: 7.1 out 10