Sometimes you miss a band on their first go around. Be it you were too young when they started or they simply flew under your radar. Then later, you'd hear about the band and go back and listen and just not understand what the big deal was. Death Angel was one of those bands for me. In the scope of Thrash Metal, you could consider them Metallica's little cousin. Maybe even Testament's baby brother. A band with a solid reputation, but who never made it out of the shadows of their older relatives. I would always read posts about the band online and when I would go and sample the music, it just didn't move me. By the time it reached my ears the production values were dated and the riffs all sounded recycled.
Then a reunited Death Angel lineup came to town opening up for Soilwork and I saw where they really made their impact. This is band that delivers the goods live. Enough that when returned for their own headlining tour later I made sure that I was in attendance. I still can't go back and really enjoy their original recordings, I missed that part of the experience, but the old stuff comes across excellent in concert. Also, the band's new lineup released a new album last year entitled "Relentless Retribution" that showcases the bands experience and talents. It's one of the best thrash releases in years and has diversity within the songwriting that most newer metal releases lack. The band takes chances that make fans who only want brutality to cringe, but for the rest of us it's a musical treat featuring guest musicians Rodrigo y Gabriela, who are outstanding in their own right.
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