Band: The Reckoning
Title: Counterblast
Label: Shiver Records
Distribution: Metal Zone - LSP
Release date: October 2008
Review: CD

In 1993, Infernal Legion was formed, performing a mixture of Death, Black and Thrash Metal. In 2005, the current moniker was baptised and a first album, Deathlike Millennia, was released in 2006. Like that former one, Counterblast was recorded at the Polish Hertz Studio, where other Belgian names did work (Suhrim, Emeth), with Wojtek and Slawek Wieslawski. I did like Infernal Legion a lot, yet this band has nothing to do anymore with that former one. I did also like The Reckoning’s debut and I’m glad to hear that this band still rages with blasting aggression and merciless fury. The ‘happy’ lyrics fit exactly to the pounding madness. The ultra-heaviness is extremer than on the debut (!) and gets perfectly supported by the full, massive sound. A few slower passages show a darker side of the band, but speed still is the main theme. The album ends with a very acceptable version of Terrorizer’s Dead Shall Rise, by the way. Duration: 39:20 minutes.

84/100

Ivan Tibos.