Artist: Protector / Suicidal Winds
Country: Germany / Sweden
Label: Wolfkult Religion
Format: Split 7” EP
Year: 2025
Thrash Metal aplenty on this split 7″ courtesy of Wolfkult Religion. In one corner we have the once German, now Swedish legends of Protector. In the other we find the Swedes of Suicidal Winds. Heads are going to bang on this one.
Protector represent themselves with ‘Realm of Crime’, a song recorded around 2018. If the name is familiar then your memory is excellent, as this song already appeared on the ‘Summon the Hordes’ album from 2019 in a different version. The music for this split was recorded in the band’s rehearsal space, while the vocals stem from another session than the ones recorded for the album. But the overall sound quality is excellent, only differing in the album version by a more bass-heavy sound and more prominent placement of the vocals, while the guitars are driven slightly more to the back. That doesn’t change anything about the material though, as Protector here sound like they have in recent years: old school Metal in the vein of Kreator, Sodom, Poison and Venom with a solid nod to Black Metal. Fans of old school German Metal and the likes of Nifelheim and Deströyer 666 perhaps will already own this on the aforementioned album, but for the awesome cover art, a different version of a banging track and a great split partner this still is your time to strike.
The match of Protector with Suicidal Winds couldn’t be more accurate, not only because Mathias Johansson is part of both bands. Stylistically the band are also an excellent fit, with Suicidal Winds presenting two previously unreleased tracks recorded in 2017 that still featured bass player Fredrik Andersson who sadly passed away in 2023. This is also the first material released by the band since their 2014 full-length ‘Chthonian Sun’. Musically, on these songs Suicidal Winds remains firmly within the Blackened Thrash Metal echelons, and the first of their tracks ‘Necromancer’ certainly reminds me at times of the Bathory classic ‘Necromansy’ off their earthshattering and infamous eponymous debut. The second song ‘Cursed’ has even more of a bite, and it once again makes clear that it’s a shame that Suicidal Winds doesn’t nearly get as much mention as acts like Nifelheim and Deströyer 666, while clearly knowing that Black/Thrash Metal craft to an equal degree.
Already sold out from the label, there are still copies at selected distros and the bands may carry a few as well. If you love Protector, or Suicidal Winds, or both, you can’t go wrong with this one. Old School Black/Thrash Metal excellence!
