Ninth Realm - Damnation's Veil

Ninth Realm is a thrash metal band from Baltimore, Maryland who formed in 2018.  Their latest release, “Damnation’s Veil,” is their second full-length album; they have also released three EPs, two demos and two splits.

I like thrash but I don’t keep up with it as much as I would like mostly because 99% of what I hear is straight up garbage.  But every now and then a band/album comes around that makes me realize I'm stupid.  Enter Ninth Realm’s “Damnation’s Veil.”  Simply put, this album smokes from start to finish.  

It doesn’t sound like some old school revival band made up of over the hill alcoholics whose last days of glory were raw dogging their prom date in 1982.  Ninth Realm takes a different path, one that isn’t stuck in the past with the ability to walk across those confines but actually more modern and extreme.  

I like that “Damnation’s Veil,” doesn’t have any fancy bells and whistles.  It’s an album that embraces its style and leaves pretentiousness at the door.  Sometimes I just want music to offer memorable songwriting and riffs that cave my ears in.  That’s exactly what Ninth Realm offers here.  

There isn’t a weak moment on the album and, aside from the intro “Valigeth,” and interlude “Orphaned Throne,” there aren't any real moments of rest.  Once the play button was hit, I was locked and loaded.  This sort of commitment is exhilarating in its own way but, most importantly, offers an abundance of brutal urgency so the moments pass by swiftly but give a lot of reasons to revisit them. 

The guitar tone sticks in the brain from the first moment of the title track.  The drums compliment the riffs amazingly well and aren’t just here to play a thousand miles per hour, although that feat is accomplished too.  The vocals are death/black metal influenced and I much prefer this style to someone’s drunk uncle pretending to be an off-key Chuck Billy.   The riffs between the verses are catchy and cause whiplash—certainly a deadly combination.

As the title of “Imbued in Hellfire,” might suggest, this is a fiery song that goes for total immolation.  The brief, slower tempo passages in between the fury let the notes sink into the atmosphere.  These moments, in turn, make the speedier parts all the more potent. As expected, the latter half of the song has a massive crossover appeal with riffs that recall a hardcore punk energy.  

The band is just as effective when they lean into the more extreme side of the genre, such as on “Wyrd of Stridebone,” which is a total death metal holocaust in its burgeoning moments.   This is one of my favorites on the album and definitely one of the best as far as vocals go.   The drums kick up some more punk energy later on and goddamn it gets the blood pumping.  The last minute or so sees the band dive into an epic melodic section that works so wonderfully well. 

The album ends with "Twilight's Blade.”  This song begins with strong, memorable melodies that stand out great among the riffs.  I’m sensing a bit of an old school feel to the speed here and there isn’t anything wrong with that.   The guitars outdo themselves here, offering a bit more intricacy across the board without sacrificing what makes the album so exciting in the first place. 

All in all, Ninth Realm’s “Damnation’s Veil,” is a fun thrash metal album that plays serious music that doesn’t concern itself with being serious.  This is one of those albums that you can throw on any time, press play, and just body slam anything within reach.   

Rating:  Great