Erazor "Dust Monuments" CD

CD in jewelcase with 12-page booklet.

After a more than solid debut and the also convincing split single with the reanimated Protector, the guys of Erazor return with their second album. It appears, inter alia, in "bone/gold" vinyl. Really nice, but this is (fortunately) the only modern gimmick. Erazor still follow the rules of the old school. Their black thrash is doubtlessly influenced by the old heroes of the genre. As if to prove this, bassist Fredi proudly shows a Deathwish patch that evokes pleasant memories of this great British thrash squadron. Nevertheless, I am not able to draw a parallel between Erazor and Deathwish or any other specific group of the eighties. From the band´s point of view, this situation can be regarded as a success. It is to the credit of Erazor´s individuality.
"Dust Monuments" welcomes you with an aggressive and very dense sound. The powerful guitars dominate, while the voice of the lead vocalist - who wears the extremely fanciful pseudonym Black Demon - has to struggle in order to be heard. But albeit the band did not found the optimum balance, the mix shines with its dark intensity. It gives the album a spontaneous aura which is much more likeable than an overproduced product of the major industry. How fortunate that the band did not sign a contract with Nuclear Blast...
Erazor's musical way of proceeding does not set new standards in terms of quality. In that context, "Dust Monuments" is comparable with its predecessor. The band does not try to make incalculable experiments. The guys obviously like the kind of metal that they play while relying on their core competencies. Fast black thrash with rarely appearing blastbeats is their favorite playground. The riffs are placed in the middle between progressiveness and primitiveness. Thus they are as complicated as necessary and as simple as possible. This kind of configuration leads to an appropriate amount of breaks that prevents any touch of boredom. Only a minor flaw remains, because the songs are very similar to each other. To put it in positive terms: the album works as a whole. On the one hand, it is a pity that Erazor do not deliver one or two songs that stand out. On the other hand, I am satisfied as long as all songs reach a good level - and this is the case on "Dust Monuments". Some of the tracks do not have a very high recognition value, but in terms of black thrash metal, there are more important things than catchiness.
As far as I can tell, the matured band does not lack technical competence so that the different parts of each and every tune are skillfully combined. Erazor avoid acoustic breaks, keyboard interludes or any other superfluous elements. They are able to deliver ten suspenseful songs without exceeding the limits of the genre. And why should they? I like the black thrash niche exactly the way it is. Therefore, I am of the opinion that "Dust Monuments" enriches the German scene. Perhaps it cannot be praised as a monument. However, it is an honest and spirited work that does not look for commercial success as an end in itself. Instead, the album breathes the spirit of the underground. Last but not least, the band has written original lyrics. For example, the last track deals with the legend of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners. Not only due to these lines, "Dust Monuments" constitutes the more or less logical continuation of the debut, just remember its cover or the lyrics of "Coalmine Disaster". The band has therefore taken the next step and seems not to be at risk of getting lost in the shufffle.

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