WARZONE Productions.
2010

WARTIME are a band hailing from Bulgaria that got formed in the mid-90's and they define themselves as a progressive-thrash band. After three Eps, this is their first full-length album and from the packaging, I can say this is a real good surprise ! The version I got from the band is a very luxurous digipack including a giant full-colored poster of the band and the box is really amazing with pictures on quality glossy paper... I guess one can't blame them not to be motivated or professional ! But yes, I know what you think, as we can't judge a book on its cover, we can't judge the music on the artwork & packaging... so what about the music ? As said before, they say they're playing progressive thrash metal which is for me a very complex style and one has to have a strong musicianship to achieve a good result... a serious technical level but a certain talent & skill too to compose good songs too, otherwise they can quickly become boring because of too much technique and demonstrations are not what I stick to... From the first notes, you're caught in a very heavy atmosphere with desperate feelings, the opening song " Bequest" has an amazing chorus that once it is in your head, will haunt you for long, it is really amazing ! The structures of all the songs are very varied,  changing from technical parts to very heavy ones, with always a strong interest for melody ! Rhythm sections are really impressive, precise and technical as fuck, with always those tempo changes & furious breaks that come and go, leading you insane for sure ! About the guitar parts, it is as impressive too ! Many breaks with crazy guitar solos, mixing technique, power, melody with great feelings ! Vocally speaking, the singer has a raw voice mainly but knows to vary it for clearer ones that go very well with the band's style ! You'll be amazed by all those abilities in creating a very quality heavy-progressive music, it is always technical, yes but not too much and enough to make it catchy , interesting and NEVER boring !
...so YES, they say they play progressive-Thrash, and they do it WELL ! Those who loved the technical Thrash Metal and Death/Thrash waves of the 90's will for sure appreciate WARTIME alot ! They sound to me like a mix of bands like TESTAMENT, DEATH, KREATOR, NOCTURNUS... but in a very personal way, no copy-cat here ! This band really has a great potential and it would be a shame to ignore them longer !

> www.wartime.bg
> www.myspace.com/preordainedgame