Band: KOBOLD
Country: Serbia
Title: Masterpace
Label: Iron, Blood & Death Corp.
Year: 2019
Style: Speed Thrash Metal

Review:
Serbia continues to deliver serious working bands to the underground and Kobold is a new name, at least to me, although they were founded back in 2012 as LethaliK and changed their moniker in 2015 to the current one under which they released a first album in 2017 by themselves, and here's the second one, this time under the wings of IBDC, the relentless metal merchant from Mexico. Speed Thrash Metal is the name of the game here, but sprinkled with important Death Metal influences and even Black Metal hints here and there. The production is organic, close to chaotic at times, but it seems the Belgrade based trio recorded it live in the studio, so that's understandable and clearly targeted to fans of retrograde (or old-school, however you want to call it) Thrash Metal. Fast paced, very energetic, adrenaline-infused Metal, that's what Kobold delivers on this second album; I wouldn't say it's original or even catchy, but the energy it diffuses is quite infectious so fans of the genre will probably appreciate that. On top of that, although a trio, it all sounds so full and well calculated, with the bass often acting upfront almost like a second guitar, and that's probably the band's advantage and maybe even trademark; usually with such bands it's inevitable to stumble upon dead or dull spaces in composition, but Kobold managed to avoid that successfully. The 6th track, Blood Drops, has a somehow psychedelic atmosphere that reminds me of Horror flicks of the '70's, if I were them I'd investigate more in that territory...
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10

Contact:
koboldthrash.bandcamp.com
ironbloodanddeath.bandcamp.com