Review: “Behind” by Engraver

Recorded, mixered and mastered between March and June 2020, during the height of the Great Plague, “Behind” marks the debut release from a band who describe themselves as Thrash Metal with Death and Black influences and like nothing better that to tell stories of gore, psychology, serial killers and crime. Engraver were formed in Ossi (Sassari) by guitarist Marco Scanu and vocalist Giuseppe Fancellu in 2019 and together with Santino Derudas on Bass, Nicola Piras on Drums and Riccardo Chessa on second guitar they want to begin a never ending nightmare…

…Icy hammer horror synths and the screams of a Hitchcock blonde play out for the sinister introduction piece that is “It Follows“, something very much of the Wednesday 13 tradition and setting the tone for a Halloween night of 80’s VHS horror film soundtrack until “Desire To Kill” hits. A cut bloodstained with 80’s Thrash nostalgia musically that has distinctive Death Metal vocal stylings from Fancellu makes for a really interesting proposition. Yes there is a fair amount of cheese in the lyrical content but the delivery is far more menacing which takes away the cringe factor and the “Ride The Lightning” era Metallica style riffs in the later half are expertly delivered, while the solo is tastefully done. The rampaging “The Last Victim” is equally as Bay area orientated with the kind of breakneck speed Thrash riffs that Municipal Waste get down to in the pit after one of their shows. It has some very well executed tempo changes and the solo is simply sublime, raising the hairs on the back of the neck and like a wolf howling to the moon it calls the beer drinkers and hell raisers to the pit. “Kill You Again” brings the whammy bar and gang chants to the party as the Italians command respect another barnstorming cut that captures the imagination, the false ending and cut back to another whirlwind of percussive battery and final verse being a real gut punch moment; you can sense it creeping up behind you but you’re not quite sure when it’s going to strike. “Hiding the Curse” is something of a different beast however with some Progressive Thrash leanings, majestic leads and extended solos as the band carry off a cut a third longer than any other on this burnt offering. Fading to an instrumental that offers haunting touches, its darker than the other cuts, it could serve as an indicator of the direction the band may take going forward… [7/10]

Track listing

1. It Follows
2. Desire To Kill
3. The Last Victim
4. Kill You Again
5. Hiding the Curse

“Behind” by Engraver is out 28th May 2021 via WormHoleDeath Records and is available over at bandcamp