Track Review: “Walk Into The Flames” by Matricide

Hailing from Tel Aviv in the heart of the Middle East, Matricide are Groove Metal act who take their name from the Latin for “Mother Murder” in reference to mankind’s destruction of Planet Earth, ruining natural beauty in a quest for resources. Formed in 2004 they dropped a well received debut EP “We Are Alive” in 2008 and followed it with “When Random Turns to Fate” in 2013, mastered in California by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Judas Priest) which lead to them sharing stages most notably with Behemoth and Down in their homeland before playing European Festivals alongside bands like  Orphaned Land, Cryptopsy and Jungle Rot. Now in 2022 they return as a quartet with new single “Walk Into The Flames“, mastered by Jens Bogren (Sepultura, At The Gates).

Reading their biography and listening to this single it’s clear that there have been more than a few unspoken struggles in the career of vocalist Ran Eliahou, guitarist Auria Sapir, bassist Shahar Guy and drummer Shaked Furman in Matricide and “Walk Into The Flames” is very much an anthemic rebirth that sees the band rising like a phoenix from the ashes. While the title of the track may sound like immolation, it is in fact a lyrical metaphor for reincarnation, the flames burning away the past and allowing the dawn of a new era. Fitting then for the first of what we hope will be many from the collective as on this evidence, sounding like the combination of self titled album era Chimaira and more recent offerings from Unearth, they’re following a trajectory that is instantly familiar and yet has more than enough of its own thing going on to be memorable. The band are veterans and that experience shines through here as they build up the intensity to a powerful rhythmic finale in what is a stone cold winner to snap your neck to [8/10]