Plague Years – Circle of Darkness

Band: Plague Years
Title: Circle of Darkness
Label: eOne
Release Date: 18 September 2020
Country: USA
Format Reviewed: High-quality Digital Recording

What can I say about Plague Year‘s newest album “Circle of Darkness”, except, headbang! You can’t stop! Literally the whole 10 tracks of thrash and death metal keep you gripped in their world of aggressive, unrelenting, speed guitars, power vocals and drums that are a staccato in your pulse. All I could think was, this live at a gig, oh wow I’d be dead and gone to hell with pure enjoyment.

Plague Years has 2 previously released albums, “Plague Years” 2017 and “Unholy Infestation” 2018. They are a four member band, Tim Engelhardt (vocals), Eric Lauder (guitar), Rian Staber (Bass), and Mike Jurysta (drums). This band revisits the classic sounds of early Sepultura, Destruction and Obituary as their musical influences. If you are a fan of those bands, you will find that Plague Years resonates just as strongly, but also in their own unique way.

“Play the Victim” as the starting track is a blast from the first hard hitting riff and vocals pack a wallop with each lyric sung. “Witness Hell” another deluge of thrash riffs that don’t quit. Punishing vocals that slow to that death metal deep growl.

“Paradox of Death” hits into the more typical thrash sound with the chugging guitar sound. Head bang, try to not do it- good luck! “Eternal Fire” was a miss, in my opinion, nothing there stood out to differentiate between what I’d already heard. “Circle of Darkness” another send off into more of a blackened thrash sound with the death metal mixing in. “Evil One” has teeth, as in, grabs attention right away, but also has moments of not much to keep your interest. “Incantation” is the stand out track in my opinion, it just hits hard. Aggressive, brutal and doesn’t slow down.

“NRFTL” Seamless integration of vocals and guitars. Some hair metal sound in this too. It’s a great combination. “World in Blood” is somewhat of a miss for me, just all right. Last track “Urge to Kill” finishes with more of the thrash that continues on to last note.

I think Plague Years is a solid entry for thrash and death metal genre. I think alot will be happening for this band in their future. They can bring it! 7/10 Metal Marie

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7/10 Victory is possible
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