Deadly Alliance is a thrash metal band based in Enschede/The Netherlands. So far, the band has had 2 EPs (Deadly Alliance ‘2013’ and Into Depth ‘2024’) and a full-length (Dehumanization ‘2018’) under its belt. The recent release ‘Mindweaver’ marks the band’s 3rd EP to date.
Composition
Right off the bat, it needs to be mentioned that if you’re a fan of one (or more) of these bands (Testament, Kreator, Coroner, Forbidden and Megadeth) then ‘Mindweaver’ will click with you one way or another. Compositionally, the two and a half minute intro sets a dark, menacing mood with its eerie and haunting vibe, and the spoken words narrated by bassist (Max Droste) compliments the atmosphere perfectly. It is worth noting that the band to created their own spoken words for this intro. They did not choose a part from a movie or something of the sorts. I think that’s a great idea.
The title track ‘Mindweaver’ starts as a nod to the intros of Testament’s ‘The New Order’ and Megadeth’s ‘Devil’s Island’, with those evil chord structures and the haunting tapping on top of them played by band’s fantastic axeman (Arjan Snijder). This combo gives the song a menacing and alarming vibe as a sign of the apocalypse. Additionally, the angry spoken words performed by singer -and Arjan’s brother- (Richard Snijder) are absolutely impactful. Spewing rage against the prevalent mind control methods that plague our societies.
The bass part performed by Droste at the end of the first minute is definitely a welcome compositional idea. It gives room for everything to breathe (pause) before all hell breaks loose. Moreover, when Richard goes into the chorus and screams “Mindweaver”, I couldn’t help but feel a Forbidden vibe and Russ Anderson’s soaring falsetto that gets the adrenaline pumping inside your whole body.
The short instrumental piece ‘Terminator’ is a little exhibition of melody and harmony. I would have liked for those licks to transpire into a whole song. It builds up in an epic fashion with drums alone before the other instruments chime in and start giving you an climactic vibe. But before you know it, the song ends abruptly. It feels like it ended too quickly for me. However, this instrumental sets a decent gateway for the pummelling finale ‘Gegen Die Wand’, which also starts out melodic, and then bursts into a full-on thrash attack with amazingly memorable riffs. I couldn’t help but equate Richard’s voice to that of Mille Petrozza’s on this track. Lots of rage, drive, aggression and attitude. Worth mentioning that this song made me realize that the snare sound is a bit too low in the mix, and when the vocals are at their peak, the snare kinda gets buried and becomes almost inaudible. I would even argue the same for Arjan’s solos. They are fantastic but needed more volume to highlight that blazing ear-burning characteristic that Arjan possesses.
Speaking of solos, one of my favourites is on my favourite song ‘Dripping Souls’. Brilliant composition and ideas. I just wish it were louder in the mix. Moreover, this song has my favourite part on the record, which is the neck snapping breakdown at minute 1:35, accompanied with the magnificent “oooohh” from Richard, making it an instant crowd crusher! The layering of the melodic lead passages on top of this groovy section makes it richer and more cleverly composed. Furthermore, I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusion of the blast beat midway into the song by drummer (Jesse Noordhuis), who does solid and tasteful drumming across the EP.
Performance
I noticed that there are many colours to Richard’s vocals. From high falsettos to low grunts, as well as a mid range flavour in the style of Kreator’s angry delivery. His various vocal approaches are full of character and make the whole ep interesting, rich and dynamic. I specifically enjoyed his cadence on ‘Dripping Souls’ (min 0:33) where he narrates the story in an almost theatrical manner, very reminiscent of Russ Anderson from the mighty Forbidden. These vocal ebbs and flows give the song noticeable dynamics and make it incredibly interesting and engaging. Furthermore, Richard throws some charismatic growls on ‘Dripping Souls’ that definitely add an interesting new dimension to his cadence. And to top it all up, the high scream at mine 2:20 is fantastically climatic. It gives that final knock-out punch that leaves the listener in a state of total admiration.
Arian’s guitar playing is tight and tasteful as hell. His solos are certainly some of my favourite elements on the EP. Not only are the ideas amazing, but his chops are also excellent. Executed smoothly and proficiently and always leaves you wanting more. Additionally, the rhythm sections are performed with groove and class. Arian knows when to add extra details to make the songs more dynamic and avoid monotony. Example of that is the beginning groove of the title track ‘Mindweaver’. He adds that pinch harmonic only once to give more taste to the rhythm. In my book, extra bonus for details like that, and the EP is full of them.
Jesse’s drumming is solid. Lots of cool fills and accents all over the board. An example of that would be all across the first 2 minutes of ‘Gegen Die Wand’. Moreover, Jesse does some very cool groove and ride work right around minute 1:09 of the song with the mid paced beat and double bass that accompany it. his beats and ideas are interesting and dynamic and does not stay in one predictable pocket.
Lyrics
The EP deals with different topics. Mind control, war and Alzheimer’s disease are the main issues discussed within the EP, which are historically proven to be fitting and appropriate for the thrash metal genre. The lyrics are generally straightforward, nothing too complex in terms oh phrasing or vocabulary. The title track ‘Mindweaver’ ends with a strong statement; “Your mind is a fortress, Its gates are yours to guard”, which rings very true in the current world of countless sources of manipulation and existential hypnosis. A world where it has become difficult to navigate your moral compass while being bombarded with endless methods of mind control and distraction from the truths that matter.
Another cool lyrical example that revolves around Alzheimer’s disease is found in ‘Dripping Souls’; “Inside your own carcass, stuck for eternity. Pain and suffering all around you, while you slowly forget who you are”. It is a painfully accurate description of how the patient of said disease experiences this illness, and Richard delivers that with pure (and complimentary) anger and frustration.
In general, lyrics are engaging, well-phrased and, above all, are meaningful with important messages. That is always a positive factor especially in the thrash metal realm.
Production
The EP sounds very organic, which is definitely a plus. However, as I mentioned above, I would have loved to hear a louder snare (and toms) in certain sections, as well as louder guitar solos. Overall, the EP sounds great. Rhythm guitars are sharp, edgy and piercing. Vocals are crisp and cut nicely through the mix, and the bass sits comfortably in the mix providing a solid low-end across the EP. I particularly like how Max’s bass sounds in the intro to the closing track ‘Gegen Die Wand’. It very much compliments the guitar melody perfectly and makes it more epic and dense.
Critique
Obvious by now, my main critique for the EP would be in the production department. The drums (snare in particular, and sometimes toms and cymbals) feel a bit buried in the mix, mostly when there is vocals, and therefore they lose some of their punch mana! Additionally, the solos can be a bit higher as well. At certain points (as in the case of the solo on ‘Dripping Souls’) some details get sinfully omitted because Arian is shredding his ass off and incorporating some killer details that need to be highlighted more efficiently.
In conclusion, solid offering from the Enschede crew; Deadly Alliance. A very enjoyable EP that clocks in at 14+ mins of tasteful, well thought-out aggressive yet melodic thrash metal assault. Definitely a new step in the right direction for the band.
Want to know more about Deadly Alliance? You can find them on their own website. A full video of their EP release party is on Youtube, we will link it below.
