Band: Degenerate (NL)
Genre: (Thrash/Groove Metal)
Album (Rituals of Rage)
Year (2025)
(Reviewed by Raaf Atasi for MetalFromNL)
Degenerate is a thrash/groove metal band from Amsterdam (The Netherlands). The band has one full-length and a demo under its belt, and ‘Rituals of Rage’, which was released in 2025, serves as their sophomore record after 6 years since the release of their first album ‘Devastation Ahead’, which was released in 2019.
Composition
I have to say this right away. The band is NOT merely a thrash metal band, and I was surprised to read that categorization on Metal Archives because Degenerate is definitely a melodic death/thrash band to my ears. So if you want to start listening to ‘Rituals of Rag’, it is best to expect that element throughout the record. And if you’re a fan of this genre, boy are you in for a treat!
Compositionally, the album is loaded with catchy and groovy melodic/thrashy riffs and transitions. The opening track ‘Servitor’ sets the album tone perfectly. It starts with a melodic interlude, only to transition into a devastatingly evil thrashy riff (one of my favourite riffs on the record), and the vocal line done by (Rens Hilgers), who is also one 2 guitarists in Degenerate, is catchy as all hell! Well arranged, well placed with the riff, and the combination is mutually complimentary. At the 40 second mark, the blast beat performed by drummer (Bas Bloos) escalates the tension and intensity of the song, and the groove that follows immediately highlights all the different colours you can expect on this record. And to add the icing on the cake, comes the clean guitar part at (1:55) with the gut-wrenching melody and marching drum beat that accompany the clean guitar. All of this makes this a perfect song for yours truly.
One of the compositional highlights on this album is the abundance of the clean/acoustic guitar use across the record. Another highlight is the incredible layering of tasteful melodies on top of the rhythm sections as heard on tracks like ‘Xenon Equilibrium’ minute (0:54), ‘Faceless Violence’ minute (1:45) and ‘The Desert’ minute (1:22) which is also one of my favourite tracks on the record, especially the part I just mentioned.
My absolute favourite track on ‘Rituals of Rage’ might be ‘Illuminate’. I specifically rejoiced in the groove at 1:29 and the little lick that precedes it, and how the lick transitions into this ear-wormy groove, of which I couldn’t get enough!
One of my favourite compositional elements on the record is the tasteful utilization of oriental scales and licks, whether in the rhythm or the lead sections. Sometimes the songs switch from pure melodic sadness to more menacing thrashy oriental scales (or vice versa) giving the songs a lot of dynamics and compositional range. This can be heard on tracks like ‘The Cult’ minute 2:05 and ‘Faceless violence’ minute 1:40.
Another factor that adds a very welcomed dynamic to the compositions is the use of keys in some songs like ‘Sentence of Death’ and ‘The Blacksmith. Those parts sometimes remind me of new era Dark Tranquillity and some Children of Bodom and Kalmah as well. They make the song more epic and grandiose, and definitely add more emotional catchiness to the overall piece. Speaking of ‘Sentence of Death’, this song probably has my favourite solo on the record. The fast runs and the odd note choices here and there at the end certainly make this solo stand out. Other solos are sometimes composed more “safely” (for the lack of a better word) which means they are a bit predictable and, at points, a bit repetitive.
The track ‘Claymore’ is certainly another masterpiece. The gloomy and haunting vibe of the intro riff is just mesmerizing. This riff (and the melodic riff that follows) were somewhat reminiscent of a very dear song to my heart and that is In Flames’ ‘Worlds within the Margin’. It has that slower pace and edgy vibe to it, which makes you feel instant hollowness in your soul (in a good way). Killer tune!
I could not review an album without mentioning the title track since it is the representative song of the record and the band’s conscious choice to make it the album title. ‘Rituals of Rage’ is a fast pummeling tune. A mix of melody and devastating thrash. To me personally, it doesn’t stand out as much as some other tracks on the record, but it is definitely a great piece. Interestingly, when the song slows down in minute 2:18 and the drums stop, that melody is undeniably reminiscent of Savatage’s ‘Hall of the Mountain King’. I don’t know if the band deliberately decided to give a nod to the heavy metal heroes, or if it was just a happy coincidence. Nevertheless, it sounds great. Furthermore, I’m not sure what to think about the “hey, hey” gang vocals that accompanies the riff. I know it is meant to be a representation of how it would sound live when the crowds participate, but for me I would rather let the audience feel it on stage while the singer encourages them to scream along. A minor detail, but worth mentioning since it’s the only time this appears on the record. One thing is for sure, the chorus to this track is absolutely spectacular and hooky and I could not get it out of my head since I heard it.
The closing track ‘The Deseret’ is a perfect choice to end this album. It is more on the mid-pace side of things, and is very dark and ominous, adequately chosen to be the finale. An incredible song in my opinion. The melody at the 1:22 minute mark is just heartbreakingly amazing. So emotional and catchy in a positively miserable sense, if that makes sense.
Performance
Everyone is top notch on this record. Rens’ vocals are pissed off and he’s screaming his ass off and fully immerses the listener in the vocal journey throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed his vocal delivery on ‘Servitor’ and ‘The Blacksmith’. So groovy and catchy. Moreover, drummer (Bas Bloos) is incredibly solid and tasteful with incredible groove. But he can also be pummeling as all hell. Groovy parts such as the one I mentioned earlier on ‘Illuminate’, as well as minute 2:08 on ‘Faceless Violence’ compel you to headbang relentlessly until your head is about to fall off!
As for the guitar work, (Rens Hilgers) and (Daniel Ruiz) are killing it. So much harmony mixed with aggression and sensation. One of the outstanding lead moments for me was minute 0:35 on ‘The Blacksmith’ where either Rens or Daniel plays this staccato lick that almost sounds like a sweep. It has a bit of ‘prog’ to it. Something I normally hear from guitarists such as (John Petrucci) or (Michael Romeo). A very nice twist to the lead work.
Production
The production is really amazing and infectious. By that I mean you feel absorbed in the experience because it sounds organic yet crisp and clear. One thing I noticed was that the bass was a bit low in the mix. And when I thought of it, I felt that bassist (Yannick de Wit) did not really get any shining moments on his own throughout the album. His bass was sitting comfortably in the mix filling the low end but without a distinguished climactic moment. Nonetheless, the production is spectacular and definitely makes the listening experience increasingly enjoyable.
Critique
As I mentioned earlier, If I wanna pick something to criticize on ‘Rituals of Rage’ it would be the safe compositions of the solos. These guys can shred and do some fabulous licks, no doubt. Proof of that is the magnificent acrobatic solo on ‘Sentence of Death’. However, I felt that most of the solos can have some extra dynamics and unpredictability. Another thing about the solos is that the ending to almost every solo lacks the emotional use of the vibrato. The licks end on an amazing note but it falls flat without adding that extra flavor of emotion embodied in the use of vibratos. One example of that is the end solo note of ‘Faceless Violence’ minute 3:13. I would definitely argue that with a nasty vibrato on that note, it could have had a bigger impact and climactic crescendo when all other instruments stop and the lead note is left there to shine.
Conclusion
I thoroughly enjoyed Degenerate’s second full-length ‘Rituals of Rage’. I can safely say it is one of my favourite Dutch releases of this year, with an absolute killer artwork too by the way!. Tasteful, dynamic, groovy, melodic and thrashy, all combined in one art-piece. Kudos to the Degenerate boys for their outstanding effort, and I can’t wait to hear what they have in store the next time around!
Rating
9.5/10
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