Review by Felix on June 7, 2025.

Four tracks with a length of 15 minutes in total is not the most charming format and to offer the coloured EP for 23 Euros (a mail order in Germany with usually average prices) is not very sexy as well. That's a pity, because Avenger Of Blood show a surprisingly agile, vital and dynamic performance on Revenge Is My Name. Production plays a major part in this. The guitar sound is menacing, powerful and energetic, but the drums with the perfect snare beats must be mentioned as well. It seems as if the technical possibilities lead more and more to fantastic results for those bands who know what is to do in the studio. But the glory of the EP is naturally not only based on the mix.

Murderous riffing, a high portion of pure aggression and a diabolic lust for destruction characterize the quartet of songs. Especially the brutal guitars which kick off each and every song promise mega death thrash hits and to be honest, they promise a little bit too much. No doubt, the songs have the intention to pulverize everything within a radius of 5,000 kilometres and they are quite successful in doing so. Hateful, terrorizing vocals that express contempt with every word, a constantly high level of vehemence and pulsating solos form tracks that would work as a very appropriate bonus section for "Epidemic Of Violence", the ultra wild and only masterpiece of Demolition Hammer from 1992. So we have to face only a few minor details that do not totally work. The more or less conventionally arranged songs do not have very catchy choruses, to mention the "biggest" problem here. Yes, it is not big in objective terms, but maybe in the choruses we find the room for improvement. The songs are excellent, but not perfect.

So what? All songs of the EP are better than those of Death Brigade, the only album I am familiar with and on a par with the outstanding "Enemy Attack" from the "Speed Kills… Again" sampler from 2007. Revenge Is My Name whets the appetite for more, for much more, to be honest. The United States once were the paradise for masterful thrash metal, but due to about 1,000 reasons, the country has lost this status a long time ago. Avenger Of Blood will not change this with an EP, but they send a sign of life. If the guys can keep up their creative furore and deliver more sledgehammers like Revenge Is My Name to the interested audience in the next few years, then the formation from Nevada will be a very hot stock on the worldwide thrash metal market.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10