1. The Sword And The Cross2. A Better World3. Neuromancer4. The Jackhammer5. Through A Glass, Darkly6. Strike From The Sky7. Cage Of Air8. The Last of My KindRevival thrash really got out of hand in the late 2000s. A new band inspired by EXCITER and RAZOR emerged from the woodwork daily, with most having little more to offer than pure homage and riff and aesthetic thievery. (And an endless supply of jean jackets and bullet belts.) Hidden somewhere in the chaos was the Southern California band WARBRINGER, whose 2008 debut “War Without End” was adequate and whose 2009 follow-up “Waking Into Nightmares” performed much better. While they’ve never quite advanced to the next rung of the imaginary thrash ladder, it’s reasonable to say that none of the bands they started with have either.Still, WARBRINGER has had more staying power than some of their peers. Much of that comes down to vocalist John Kevill, whose acid-soaked and vitriolic voice is always on the attack. He’s supported by the occasional jolt of extremity, enhanced by smart, well-executed breakdowns (see: mosh parts) that any thrash band worth its salt knows how to deploy. Furthermore, WARBRINGER has never quite compartmentalized themselves by playing pizza thrash, fun thrash or technical thrash. Whatever type of thrash WARBRINGER is, the thread from 2020’s stout “Weapons Of Tomorrow” continues on their seventh studio album, “Wrath And Ruin”.It’s worth starting with Kevill. His spiteful, biting vocals deliver a continual assault, intertwined with clever patterns and timely lyrics (e.g., “A Better World”) while dipping into the harsh-whisper mode that KREATOR’s Mille Petrozza favors (as in “Through A Glass, Darkly”). Kevill is perhaps less a thrash vocalist than a bona fide extreme metal throat who knows his place, and is ready to take charge when necessary, especially leading the mosh-down in “The Jackhammer”. Above all else, he remains the best thing about WARBRINGER.WARBRINGER continues to swing between American and European thrash, incorporating chunky grooves on “Neuromancer” alongside harmonic elements on “Cage Of Air”, which features an acoustic arrangement. This intensity is evident in “Strike From The Sky”, a quasi-tribute to German thrash legends DESTRUCTION. (Bonus points to Kevill for his stellar Schmier impression as well.) It all wraps up with “The Last Of My Kind”, which concludes in a flurry of nimble riffing and a final scream from Kevill.Perhaps the path of least resistance for any third or fourth-generation band is to acknowledge that there is no way to improve upon the original, genuine article. WARBRINGER seems to understand this by playing to its strengths (Kevill) and relying on songcraft that straddles many lines at once while never forgetting that mosh is king. Even more wisely, WARBRINGER kept the running order on “Wrath And Ruin” to eight songs. Other thrash bands that survived the late 2000s should take note.[embedded content]WARBRINGER