Six years after “Sacrifice Your Future”, Bavarian thrash metal force White Mantis return with their second album “Arrows at the Sun”. Many things happened in the years after their critically acclaimed debut full-length, not least significant changes within the group’s line-up. After having parted with guitarist Andre Krimbacher on friendly terms, Matthias Mizera stepped into the fold and was eventually replaced by Enrico Pertoso, “a killer lead guitarist who already played on the ‘The Iron Curse’ EP in 2022” according to bass player Jan Strobl.
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Putting more complex material into focus, “Arrows at the Sun” continues on the path the band has followed ever since drummer Thomas Taube and Jan joined in 2016 and 2018 respectively. “Based on a traditional thrash metal foundation, the new songs also display some weird, chaotic and progressive influences,” the bassist explains. “Given the members’ different musical backgrounds, we are always open to diverse songwriting.”
As a consequence, White Mantis have refined their sophisticated style of lyric writing even further. The album deals with sociopolitical issues, technocriticism and scepticism towards progress but also spirituality and death as a mystery of life. “Our interpretation of the title describes the struggle between mind and matter, with the sun symbolizing the destruction of causality and the withdrawal of all life.” This is captured in the artwork by Velio Josto, which also sees the return of the mantis as the band’s mascot.
It’s easy to hear influences from Voivod or early Megadeth on “Arrows at the Sun,” yet for the most part, White Mantis are very much themselves, with songs such as ‘Reality Exists” or the title track encapsulating their own brand of thrash: crushing melodies, frantic rhythms and multiple turns, all without sacrificing their catchiness. Given the huge potential of the band, Jan’s final words seem almost too modest. “Self-assessment is always a double-edged sword,” he says. “We know our strengths and therefore prefer to let others assess our significance within the current thrash scene.”
Tracklisting:
01 Nekrotornado
02 Arrows at the Sun
03 Pass the Torche
04 Divide and Kill
05 Atavistic Power
06 Over Your Pale Bones
07 Toxic Sniper
08 Roboticator
09 Reality Exists
10 Altar of Technology
Line-Up:
Matthias Pletz – Vocals, Guitar
Enrico Pertoso – Guitar
Jan Strobl – Bass
Thomas Taube – Drums