Shatterpoint - Consequences
2004 Metal Queen
by Shev

Quick Summary:
With the utter lack of quality modern-day thrash acts, it's nice to see a band that can stick to the basics of the 80's sound without trying to add in every influence under the sun.  Shatterpoint, previously known as Catharsis, have been doing just that since September of 2001.  This is no-nonsense thrash with a very strong late-80's/early-90's Testament sound.  Not to be satisfied with their venture into thrash, there are some other elements to be heard here as slight metalcore and death metal styles make appearances on small occasion.

Shane Drake flexes his range in vocals, choosing to primarily stick with the typical thrash style, and to a lesser effect, a growling death metal style reminiscent of Chuck Billy.  Backed by an obviously talented trio of musicians, Shatterpoint are all about the writing of quality riffs.  While this CD only contains six songs, lesser bands could probably write a full hour long album based on the material in this short half hour release.  Blazing guitar sound, thundering bass, and punishing drums make Shatterpoint one of the few modern thrash acts worth investing your time and money into.

Website:  www.shatterpoint.net

Song Summaries:

1. Pleasure The Pain - Fairly standard thrash number despite the chunky bass sound, energetic riffs, and smoking double bass.  The chorus which sings, "On my way to pleasure the pain, and altered state of reality" is done with a headache-inducing drone, but other than that this is a well put together song, albeit slightly generic.  B-
2. Crashing Down - The first 4:33 of Crashing Down is classic Testament worship, but with more vocal diversity ranging from a mostly clear Metallica-inspired voice to a Chuck Billy-like growl.  The remaining 1:11 of the song turns into a very creative blues-rock style.  A
3. Ended By Silence - Average thrasher jumping between comfortable mid-paced tempos while toggling cleaner vocals with death metal vocals.  The ending consists of some kind of thrashy nu-metal/Diatribes-era Napalm Death bunk.  Strange way to end this one...  C-
4. Consequences - Somebody's been listening to their Slayer records.  A-
5. When I Die - The first 4:40 of "When I Die" is slow-paced, dreary, doom mixed with stoner the likes of a ballad written by Down.  Not something that really floats my boat, but for what it is it's really not bad.  The remaining 1:32 of the song explodes into a pummeling pit anthem, heavily contrasting the original downtrodden gist of the song.  C+
6. No Man's Land - An interesting combination of a slower/mid-paced metalcore style and a faster thrash ascendancy.  Intense guitar solo from 3:33 - 4:04, although it's sandwiched in between two slower parts, one of which being the song's abrupt ending.  B+

Average Song Rating:  B
Overall Album Rating:  B+