Is it really three years since Ricky talked to this bunch? Cruel and Unusual Punishment is the full-length debut album from Glasgow band Tempered, who describe themselves as crossover thrash.
The album smashes right from the start with “Mass Misery” launching itself at you with searing fury. This is unrelenting thrash from the get-go, not just from the speed and the riffs but from the energy built through the musical dynamism layered up under an impressive guitar solo. “Cold Hard Ground” starts off more mid-paced but doesn’t hold back the anger in the vocals. The mid-tempo sections are interspersed with faster sections reminiscent of Sepultura and further impressive lead breaks, finishing with a crunchy breakdown.
The riff at the start of “Gutted” could be straight from the Bay Area and is followed by a solo that melts your face. Riff after riff of pure, unrelenting thrash follows with the pace held high until a bridge/breakdown section that finishes the song. “Fed To Dogs” has a more varied feel, with multiple riffs interchanging with a more complex rhythm pattern. The power doesn’t let up though, with the drums in particular driving this track. Again, yet another face-melting solo – dare I compare this with the Skolnick/Peterson dual assault?
The tempo is lifted again with “Crush Zone”, which hits you between the eyes with another blistering solo, builds in intensity before dropping to a mosh part with some complex riffs leading to an ending with some aggressive chanting. “Scum Vortex” builds with bass and drums before entering an absolute riff-fest and intense thrash velocity. The energy and speed lift and fall in punchy sections before an extended solo leads to a breakdown, building to a finishing crescendo. “Terrifier” launches into full-on thrash speed from the outset with punchy chorus sections and another blistering guitar solo. A more complex riff section leads to a breakdown and the resumption of the solo before building towards full-on thrash and another punchy chorus.
Not quite the album title track, “Cruel Punishment” starts off on a mid-tempo basis but the ferocity still kicks in. This is the most anthemic song on the album and possibly the most nuanced in terms of composition and delivery. The blast beats in this song work well, not only in the bridge leading to the solo but as part of the dynamic underpinning the later part of the solo too. The faded outro in this song works really well, leaving the listener grasping for breath and wondering what the fuck just hit them!
Overall, this album is a superb piece of work. Tempered are clearly a band who realise that for top-rate thrash metal you need the speed, but you also need the energy that is derived from musical dynamism. The song structures here deliver that in spades. There’s complexity too, but it’s focussed, compact, never overblown and adds to the tension and dynamic within the songs. The vocals are aggressive and angry and probably the part of the band most influenced by the more hardcore elements of crossover. The album is an absolute riff-fest from start to finish and every solo is a face-melter. Drums and bass are fast, on point and totally drive the band. I’d argue that this is a release that stands up alongside any of the thrash bands in the genre at this moment.
Tempered’s launch show for Cruel and Unusual Punishment is at Audio in Glasgow on Saturday 1st November, with support from Divide, Penny Coffin and Fatal Collision.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Cruel and Unusual Punishment is out now
Check out all the bands we review in 2025 on our Spotify and YouTube
Tempered: facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | bandcamp | youtube
