23rd August 2023

Review: “Phase One” by Sophie’s Threat

If there is one lesson that humanity hasn’t quite yet grasped it’s the fact that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. That’s the foundation of the concept behind Brazilian Death Thrash enthusiasts Sophie’s Threat, their name referencing the robot Sophia, designed to learn to work among us humans, adapting to our behaviour. She possesses the citizenship of Saudi Arabia and when asked in an interview if it would destroy humanity, it surprised everyone with the answer “yes“!

Having undergone several line up changes in their time, the departure of vocalist Malu Sales and guitarist Rodrigo Godoy due to musical divergences and different goals has given the band the opportunity to draw a line on the sand and start afresh with new vocalist Felícia Andrade. So while they work on a debut album tentatively scheduled for a 2024 release, they’ve wrapped up their singles with Sales at the helm into an EP for our listening pleasure. Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Michel Villares at M&H Studios, in São Paulo Brazil and with artwork from drummer Tiago Carteano, they’re calling it “Phase One“.

Lyrically based on the story of the American schizophrenic psychopath Joseph Kallinger, “Suicidal God” finds Sophie’s Threat offering up down tuned riffs with flavours of early Fear Factory while Malu Sales roars like a feral beast. Her vicious unclean vocals are somewhere between those of Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy and Torture Squad femme fatale May Puertas, her dark whispered moments barely audible but giving everything a sinister edge. The solo has Gothenburg Sound Melodic Death Metal leanings, while buried hints of lead are kept purposefully low in the mix in favour of the chugged rhythms. If the mission was to create something dark filled with tension then it has been accomplished with flying colours. Themed around self-criticism about how human beings have the hypocritical habit of criticizing others by doing the same things they are criticized for “Speaking Of The Devil” continues the low end rumblings with skull battering intent. There seems little doubt that the band could benefit from the skills of Buster Odeholm (Vildhjarta, Humanity’s Last Breath, Reflections) in the studio, such is the tone they’ve chosen for their rhythm guitar sound. Again there are fleeting dark melodic moments born from the atmospheric leads which make for an interesting contrast between the murky low end and brighter more Traditional Heavy Metal sounds. “Poison” expands the bands sound with Malu Sales offering up some clean vocal moments alongside some Progressive Death Metal leaning riffs and a sumptuous solo, all the while taking nothing away from the evil they create. On this evidence new vocalist Felícia Andrade has some incredibly large boots to fill [7.5/10]

Track Listing