Archaic Thorn are a German death metal band who released their debut album, “Eradication”, in 2020. They now return with the follow-up, “Malicious Spears”, which serves up even more feral, brutal fare. Although much of the music is fairly traditional, the band throw in unexpected twists that give them a distinct voice and set the record apart from the hundreds of death metal releases out in 2025.
Alongside the addition of cryptic synths on several tracks—lending a compelling soundscape—they deliver plenty of riffs that stand out in the genre, riffs that can pull the tempo down and create strong dynamics against the faster passages. The opener, “Lord of Tombs”, is a fine example of both effective synth use and dynamic riffing, while “Conquering Spirits” boasts a fierce mid-section that delivers the unique character mentioned earlier. Archaic Thorn are hard to compare, but early Morbid Angel is the first reference that comes to mind. The cover art, painted by Rok of Sadistik Exekution, gets anatomy and perspective wrong and looks a bit amateurish; but at least it’s a real painting by a real artist, and it lends a suitably underground feel.
Released October 31st, 2025 on High Roller Records.
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