Review: “Deadly Intrusions” by Skumstrike

Recorded and mixed by Pat McDowell (Spectral Wound, Profane Order) in Montreal and mastered at Enormous Door (Darkthrone, Bastard Priest) in Texas, “Deadly Intrusion” marks the culmination of five years spent in the fires of hell, forging a Blackened Thrash sound over a trio of EPs with disconcerting artwork of Ibay Arifin (Slabdragger, Orion) finally seeing Canadian duo Skumstrike set to escape from the gates and run amok. 2018’s “Pure Coercion” and 2020’s “Execution Void” followed a 2017 self titled demo with each subsequent release showing progression to this point, their full debut promising a discordant ballet of brutality…

…While those prior EPs made all the right noises and threatened to pull the pin out, with “Deadly Intrusion” they’ve done exactly what they promised and the result is nothing short of a pure adrenaline rush of anarchy and aggression. Combining raw ugly qualities of Black Metal acts like Celtic Frost with the Thrash of early Kreator and Hardcore Punk of Discharge as influences, from the very first bars of “Caustic Poison” to the grand finale of Poison Idea cover “Nothing Is Final” the duo reign unrelenting fire and brimstone down upon anyone who dares to listen. Skumstrike are the audio equivalent of John McClane in “Die Hard II” when he lights the vapour trail that sees the flame chase to the fuel tank and blow up the airplane as it takes off, except they’re laughing with ear to ear evil grins as it burns and spitting on the wreckage. Frantic and frenetic throughout the solos on the likes of the furious “Another Shot of Fear” and “Ritual Murder” are bolts of lightening from a wrathful God that add an unexpected incendiary quality to the reckless and wild cuts of pure carnage. Feral, snarling vocals paint a nightmarish vision of a post apocalyptic hellscape utter violence spills out on to the streets and chaos prevails while razor sharp riffs cut like barbed wire over percussive battery that knows no bounds, driven only destroy. A white knuckle thrill ride of abrasive riffs played by blistered raw fingers on a smoking fretboard, dulled to the pain, the only brief let up in the sonic assault on the senses coming in “Blood Red Vision” which takes everything from 11 to 10 while engaging in some blatant Venom worship. A lethal dose of Canadian hatred, “Deadly Intrusions” is the critical mass which the duo sort to attain and have now made good on all their promise and their Poison Idea cover is a thing of ugly beauty, the perfect ending to the whole experience and done their way [7/10]

Track listing

1. Caustic Poison
2. Blood Red Vision
3. Ensnared (in Endless Night)
4. Panic Obsession
5. Another Shot of Fear
6. Ritual Murder
7. Mental Wound Submission
8. Lobotomize
9. The Infestor
10. Deadly Intrusions
11. Nothing is Final (Poison Idea Cover)

“Deadly Intrusions” by Skumstrike is out 8th April 2022 via SELFMADEGOD Records and will be available over at bandcamp.