Axestasy

A couple of years removed from their debut album, Richmond, Virginia's BAT delivers a new slice of their speedy early Venom worship with the Axestasy EP. Solid riffs, pounding rhythm section and harsh but intelligible vocals are present but the songwriting is a step down from Wings of Chains. Even though they mix up the tempos a bit, versus bearing down on the gas pedal from start to finish, there is nothing that sticks around. The lyrics are your basic violent/misogynistic '80s fare, not that there's anything wrong with that, but they cover some well-worn paths and are almost a little cliché. If you are digging the speed metal revival, this is a decent addition to the collection, but this band can, and has, done better.