Artist: Deathstorm
Country: Austria
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2026
Although this is the first time this Austrian Thrash Metal band has appeared on these pages, the band has been around for over fifteen years, and we now have their fifth full-length album in hand. The fact that this trio, which also briefly operated as a quartet, has not been reviewed before is all the more remarkable when you consider that their first album and the preceding EP were released on I Hate Records, the two subsequent full-lengths on High Roller Records, and that ‘Cascophonies’ is already their second album for Dying Victims Productions. You’d think there’s been enough opportunity. Time to set that right.
One of the reasons Deathstorm has more or less slipped under my radar might be that they’re a solid band, but also one that lacks a distinct identity. You certainly can’t call them bad, but they weren’t a band everyone was talking about when they released their albums. When you put on one of their older albums, there’s no reason to switch it off, but at the same time it’s quite difficult to pinpoint any real highlights. A lack of that all-important X-factor, so to speak.
In a sense, that’s still very much the case on ‘Cascophonies’. It’s a decent album, striking a balance between Slayer’s late-80s records, Vio-Lence, Lääz Rockit, Sacrifice, Deadhead, Kreator and, in fact, a handful of other iconic bands from that same era. A subtle touch of 80s Death Metal and the odd Heavy Metal-style solo add a bit of extra flair here and there, but that’s about it. Deathstorm has never really been known for its originality, and that is of course far from a requirement – certainly if you’re a fan of the work that Dying Victims Productions usually unleashes upon the world. But even now, the album, which lasts less than half an hour, passes by without any truly spectacular highlights. However, and this is actually the case with all their previous work as well, it is a decent record, but it won’t be making it onto any year-end lists. This is the sort of album that, if we were rating it, would score a 6.5 out of 10. Good, but not excellent.
