Decadence are yet another talented band cursed with a hot chick for a singer. Such arrangements usually draw ugly comparisons and typecast the group, not to mention the possibility of a future spread for said female singer on a "Hottest Chicks in Metal" issue of Revolver Magazine.

Setting aside such nonsense, this 'Chargepoint' from Sweden's unheralded new-school thrash heroes is a pretty furious eight song affair (plus one instrumental) that peddles everyone's favorite machine-gun tempos with a smattering of epic guitar pyrotechnics. The effect isn't so much Nightrage or Testament as, say Holy Moses meets Chuck Schuldiner.

Knowing that great albums always open strong, 'Discharge' arrives in a glut of thundering drums and razor sharp riffs from budding guitar hero Kenneth Lantz. Together with frontwoman Metallic "Kitty" Saric, the two have forged Decadence into a tight unit intent on providing the best thrash in the market. Unfortunately these guys still fall short of their goal, as ensuing tracks, no matter their fluidity, sound like more of the same. Instead of grabbing our attention, Decadence simply prove they can play average music.

Ignoring the less stellar material inside this brief opus, such winners as 'Out of Ashes', 'Point of no Return', and 'Challenge' come alive with an exuberance rarely heard in the grim confines of extreme metal. Consider these the seeds of a band who, from album to album, continue to grow and expand their abilities. As a last hurrah of sorts, gentle acoustic guitars introduce the album's closing instrumental until the guns fall silent on this thrash barrage. When 'Chargepoint' wraps in just under 40 minutes, the listener, depending on his/her musical disposition, will most likely be left in two states: craving more of indifference.

Rating: 7 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Miguel Miranda
10/23/2009 15:56