SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SCAREFIELD – A QUIET COUNTRY

SCAREFIELD
A QUIET COUNTRY
INDEPENDENT

Scarefield, the horror themed thrash metal outfit led by guitarist Simone Manuli and vocalist Markus Kristoffersson, has released their debut full-length album. A Quiet Country follows the release of their 2023 EP, Nightmare Tales, and includes four of the EP’s five tracks – all but their cover of “House Of The Rising Sun”. In true ‘80s fashion, the band has delivered an 11-song record inspired equally by both classic thrash and horror films.

Opening with the explosive shots and dual guitar riff of “Ancient Evil”, Scarefield immediately sets the tone for their debut album with a vibe comparable to early Metallica and Megadeth, further equipped with a level of precision that denotes a sense of modern polish despite the aggressive onslaught of an opening song. “Ancient Evil” is followed by “Dead Center”, an even more relentless sonic assault, overflowing with squealing guitar lines and vocal hooks that are further supported by rhythmic shifts and breaks in the instrumentation.

Throughout the rest of A Quiet Country, Scarefield remains committed equally to both their musical and thematic influences. Without a weak song on the record, there are numerous highlights which stand above the rest. “Spectre” is especially noteworthy for its slower pace and spacious soundscape with a larger-than-life chorus. This track may be the only moment in which Scarefield strays for the purity of ‘80s thrash by embracing a tone reminiscent for 1991’s Metallica. Additionally, “God Of Terror” and “Primitive Shadow” are especially punishing – again, demonstrating a high caliber of musicianship and technique – while “Always”, with its use of acoustic guitars, acts as a tonal ballad which showcases a level of versatility to the songwriting on the album.

A Quiet Country stands as an impressively unique album in that it is a perfectly modern snapshot of a genre at a particular time, specifically thrash metal of the ‘80s. The resulting album is unlike anything else among modern metal simply because no one else is making records so true to this era of the genre. Through this, Scarefield scratches a nostalgic itch, making A Quiet Country a must hear musical experience for metalheads.

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