Label: 7hard
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Length: 37:51
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Piranha are a Greek Thrash/Death Metal band formed in 1987. Active until 2001, the band made a comeback on the extreme metal scene in 2017. Their debut EP World's Grave was released in 1992, followed by their debut album Reborn in 1998. Today, I'm going to talk about their latest album Arise from the Shadows, released in 2020 via the German label 7hard in CD and digital versions.
Arise from the Shadows is an 8-track album with a total running time of 37:51 minutes. From the very first track, Nuclear Disease, the tone is set: cutting guitars, percussive drums and unleashed vocals. Some of track's introductions set an ominous mood before the chaos, notably on Nuclear Disease and Eternal Night, where also the vocal performance is particularly striking. Melodies also creep into the structure of tracks as Endless Dream. Touches of black metal appear in Reborn, which stands out for its atmosphere and its rhythmic and instrumental diversity, making it my favourite track on the album. A modernity can be felt in the production and songwriting, particularly on the final track, Haze.
Among the highlights moment of this album are the blistering acceleration at 2:40 on Nuclear Disease, immediately followed by a solo. On Eternal Night, the choral chorus is captivating and the guitar solo is remarkable (it's my second favourite track). On Rotten Mind, at 1:10, the music shifts into an epic, theatrical mood. Dead Boat stands out for its loud tempo and its passages alternating between clean vocals and high-pitched screams. As for the eponymous track Arise from the Shadows, it impresses with its meticulous structure, its melodic and epic feel, and the explosive blast beats of the drums from 4:36 onwards.
With Arise from the Shadows, Piranha offer us an album of old-school thrash/death metal, incorporating modern production and atmospheric elements. There are striking changes of rhythm, black metal influences and a variety of vocals to enrich the band's sound structure. With this recording, Piranha succeed in combining raw power and modernity, asserting a renewed musical identity.