Band: Warmaster
Title: First War
Label: Dutch Metal Records
Distribution: Rock Inc.
Release date: January 2009
Review: CD

Even though I don’t know any other band with such a moniker (with exception of the Portuguese Black Metal formation War Master – take notice of the division into two different words), the name ‘Warmaster’ sort of reeks of Bolt Thrower’ish stuff. Also the artwork and the song titles navigate into this specific direction. Would it?
When investigating the band members’ other experiences, it might be clear that the extreme scene isn’t a new element in their history. In the past, yet also in the present, the members are / have been involved with different bands within the Thrash, Black and Death Metal scene. The skills they developed throughout the years have now been perfectionized for the creation of, indeed, a tribute-band to the masters of Death-War Metal, Bolt Thrower.
First War is the debut album – before, the band did record a demo tape, yet no official stuff has been released up till now. And as from the first riffs on Testimony From The Grave, the opening song, I get confirmed positively about that Bolt Thrower-approach. Rough, mid-tempo oriented Death supremacy, including many tempo-changes, a pounding rhythm section, deep grunts and a concrete wall of sound, all this veiled within a warlike approach, it makes me horny! And yes, I cannot detect any single point or originality, but when the performance quality is high, I don’t give a f*ck about being renewing. Damn, this stuff needs no fake injection of modernistic creativity! Every single track convinces, and the unpolished rawness penetrates all compositions with sardonic pleasure.
Other interfaces: Six Feet Under, Master, Obituary or even a slower Bloodbath.
The first war has been won!

90/100

Ivan Tibos.