If it is true what they say and youth is king, then New York's three-piece thrasher's Brotality is the answer to a starving generation who are severely lacking in culture, specifically as it applies to good music. The band consists of two brothers, Bryce (guitars/vocals) and Reece Maopolski (bass/vocals) and their good friend Liam Fenton (drums), and with an age demographic that ranges from 15-18 if you can believe it! Having already scored considerable recognition being billed with the likes of such legendary talent as Judas Priest, and Deep Purple, Brotality are well on their way to becoming one of the great success stories of today’s Metal emporium. Their debut release Worldwide Desolation is out now and I for one cannot get enough of it! 

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For those of us Metalheads who are always on the lookout for an old-school return to form thrash extravaganza, one need look no further than this instant classic. Contained within are twelve tracks of pure unadulterated thrash metal bliss. Although these guys draw on a myriad of influences, they maintain their own identity, which will only serve to further their career not being labeled as any kind of copycats or clones. After a brief and dare I say warped sounding intro in the form of “…And Then There Was One,” the first complete foray from the album is titled “Foxhole” and immediately goes full throttle where the listener will be instantly hooked. I certainly was. Fat riffs and soaring leads fill this album from start to finish. “Salting the Wound” starts a little busier than its mid-tempo predecessor before settling into an even pace. Near the end of the tune, there is a very doomy change that just adds to the overall satisfaction of the song. It should be noted at this point that Bryce and Reece with their alternating vocals are very strong and never give any impression that they are so young. This rings especially true on several tracks including, “I Am Fire, I Am Death” when they utilize some great death growls giving a greater dynamic to their overall sound. Also impressive on this cut is the stellar lead guitar work which comes across as flowing and highly melodic. If that were not enough, they end with a groove that is relentlessly infectious. “Biohazard” continues the ingenious artistry of Brotality, again with some death growls. “Empty Existence” switches gears slightly, this time putting the spotlight on the clean vocals and the harmonies they deliver in an almost reggae-like fashion. The leads here are also brilliant. This is perhaps the most epic song of the entire album as it seems to encompass everything the band has to offer, including an emotional slow down with textured soloing over a clean guitar. And did I say fat riffs? That would be an understatement for sure. A nice little drum intro from Liam and “Prisoners of the Abyss” holds its own amid all the other great tracks. A faster-paced gem can be found with “Dirtnap,” haha! What a great song title. To hear any of these tunes you would think that these guys had thirty years’ experience behind them. I was wondering when they might get around to showcasing some wicked bass lines and “Spiral Out” is the one. Followed by some guitar leads that sound very Powerslave-like and dominated with riffage and even more riffage! The wonderfully chaotic “Legion Falls” is more of the same, but nothing found here ever allows the listener to become jaded. “Garden” is a short clean guitar instrumental perfectly placed before the album closer, “The Way of Suffering.” Which is the perfect end to this masterpiece.

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Brotality’s Worldwide Desolation is simply astonishing. I find it difficult to find modern metal that I can get into, but these guys have delivered the goods. The writing is superb, the production divine, and the lyrical content is eye-opening, inspiring, and heartfelt. Their perspective on today’s world coupled with their faith and insight from such a young age is highly commendable and if they stick to their guns, I see great things in their future.

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-Priest