WAR -

WAR - TOTAL WAR - NECROPOLIS
Years ago Slayer took up the chant "war, total war..." and now courtesy of the prolific Necropolis Records comes the 'all-star' Swedish band War featuring Peter And Mikael of Hypocrisy/Abyss, It of Abruptum, All Of Vondur/Opthalamia and Back Moon of Necrophobic and Dark Funeral. While the 17-minute long EP is short, the music manages to inflict its damage (including racist ranting) in blitzkrieg manner. Otherwise there are no superfluous gimmicks and no extraneous instruments within this album. The damage is done. War comes, destroys and leaves having reaped souls for Satan. - Ali "The Metallian"

WAR - WE ARE WAR - NECROPOLIS
Even though I badly want to dismiss this album due to the fact that the retro-thrash fad is sooo gay, I just can not. This album smokes from start to finish. Still it's blatantly official: War not only rip off Destruction (ie the band circa 1985) musically, but also the cover is copied from said band's Infernal Overkill album. All hail early Destruction! It's certainly all here, vocals akin to an early Schmier, the distorted guitars, fast pumping passages (which sometimes make me yearn for Iron Angel) and the true sound of musicians in love with speed/ thrash metal. Tracks like War, Soldiers of Satan, Kill God and Execution really leave little to imagination, and make the appearance of yet another cover redundant. I mean the whole album is...Anyway this is great to the point of producing a psychosomatic reaction, and if you have any clue what I am talking about; you better dash to the nearest of den of corruption and buy this for yourself. Thanks, then, that the 'war' between the band and label got resolved and the album saw the light of day despite the band members' objections. - Ali "The Metallian"