DEATH ANGEL – The Bastard Tracks

7.7/10

DEATH ANGEL - The Bastard Tracks - 7.7/10

7.7/10

Summary

Nuclear Blast
Release date: November 26, 2021

[spoiler title=’Metal Express Radio – Ratings Scale’ style=’default’ collapse_link=’true’]

10.0: Cannot be improved! Perfect, instant classic! Essential in any record collection.
9.5 – 9.9: Fantastic, spectacular and outstanding!
9.0 – 9.4: Amazing release! It just lacks that little extra spice to make it perfect.
8.5 – 8.9: Exceptional release! Will likely rank among top ten albums of the year.
8.0 – 8.4: Great release! It has many different qualities.
7.5 – 7.9: Above average! It is an enjoyable release.
7.0 – 7.4: It is not brilliant, but has many strong points.
6.0 – 6.9: It has its moments, but is not that strong.
5.0 – 5.9: Slightly above average, does not stand out. Good outweighs bad by just a little.
4.0 – 4.9: Just below average, bad outweighs good by just a little.
3.0 – 3.9: Mediocre. There might be a song or a performance that is enjoyable, but that is it.
2.0 – 2.9: Very weak! There might be a light at the end of the tunnel, too many flaws.
1.0 – 1.9: This release gives the word “terrible” new meaning.
0.1 – 0.9: Awful! Avoid at all cost. There is nothing good to say about this release.

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The Backstory

Bay Area Thrash Metal act Death Angel released their last studio album Humanicide in 2019. Due to the pandemic, many bands were forced to come up with ways to keep their fans engaged until they could bring their live shows back to the masses. In Death Angel’s case, they decided to record and stream a live show.

This live show was set up to be unique, as it was not to promote the band’s previously mentioned studio album, but to give new life to some forgotten material. The Bastard Tracks is a collection of Death Angel songs that have hardly been played live before or have never been played live before. There is a CD/Blu-ray version available. This is a review for just the audio portion.

The Album

The set list is comprised primarily of Death Angel material from 2010 to the present day, with a sprinkling of pre-1991 material. The are no songs from their debut album The Ultra-Violence (1987) and their reunion album The Art of Dying (2004). The set kicks off with an ominous guitar run that gives way to the powerful thrasher “Lord of Hate,” which appeared originally on Killing Season (2008). The track is followed by the anthemic powder keg “Where They Lay.”

The twin guitar attack of Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar is on fire throughout the set, but most notably on “Fallen.” “The Organization” hits you at break necks speed and balances out the onslaught with some great melodies. “Execution/Don’t Save Me” draws you in with a somber intro, then smashes you in the ear drums with it’s intense tempo changes. “It Can’t Be This” relies heavily on the meaty bass line of Damien Sisson.

“Faded Remains” (from 2020’s Under Pressure EP) and “Volcanic” show a different side of the group with acoustic guitars and a focus on vocal harmonies. This style isn’t completely new for the band as the latter song was released in 2010. Death Angel throw in a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Falling Off the Edge of the World,” and put their own stamp on it.

The Verdict

The Bastard Tracks is more of a “Best of the B-Sides” compilation than it is a true live album. There’s no crowd noise (or even added crowd noise), so the atmosphere is missing. This is a live studio recording on a stage, more or less. Some of these lesser known tracks sure could be considered for ‘A-material’ the way they are presented here.

Death Angel fans will be more than pleased to have this unique performance as a part of their collection, but new fans should probably start at the epic beginning, The Ultra-Violence (1987), Frolic Through The Park (1988), Act III (1990), and work their way up to it.

Tracklist

Lord of Hate
Where They Lay
Why You Do This
Fallen
Absence of Light
The Organization
Execution / Don’t Save Me
Succubus
It Can’t Be This
Let the Pieces Fall
Faded Remains
Volcanic
Falling Off the Edge of the World
Guilty of Innocence
Alive and Screaming

Death Angel is

Mark Osegueda – Vocals
Rob Cavestany – Guitar
Ted Aguilar – Guitar
Damien Sisson – Bass
Will Carroll – Drums

About George Dionne 288 Articles

George was a contributor here at Metal Express Radio, reviewing albums and conducting interviews, out of Massachusetts, USA. George has contributed to numerous music related websites and blogs, and even managed his own from 2004-2009. George's first assignment was covering a live show by the mighty GWAR. By contrast his later assignments featured Judas Priest, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi. George was also the front man for the South Eastern Massachusetts cover band Sound Tower from 2009-2015. Sound Tower played 300+ shows across MA and had two original songs on the Cape Cod radio station PIXY 103. George enjoys a good whiskey, scotch, and/or bourbon and fights crime in his spare time.