Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 07:38 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
Genre: Crossover/Thrash
Country: Switzerland
Label: Unspeakable Axe Records
Year: 2022
Algebra (from an Arabic word romanized: al-jabr, lit. ’reunion of broken parts or bonesetting’) is one of the broad areas of mathematics. Roughly speaking, algebra is the study of mathematical symbols and the rules for manipulating these symbols in formulas; it is a unifying thread of almost all of mathematics. Here we are dealing with the tech thrash quartet from Lausanne, Switzerland with the name Algebra and I thought that it would be a good reason to remember how Arabs offered one (out of many many things to Humanity before Islam (as all Middle-East born religions switched off the light of civilization). Back to Swiss Algebra, “Chiroptera” is their 4th studio album following the 2019’s “Pulse?” once again via Unspeakable Axe Records. This album also features a new line-up as except singer, guitarist Ed Nicod who is now joined by second guitarist Nick Abery and Cenotaph‘s current drummer Florent Duployer and former Entombed A.D. bassist Victor Brandt as session musicians. The Sepultura-meets-Slayer grooves are abundant, and the hardcore-tinged vocals once again give the album a strong crossover bent that should please fans of Power Trip and Enforced. But the thing that sets Algebra apart from these aforementioned bands is the technical, almost progressive, elements that permeate the material as the band follows a much more confident approaching in their song writing. Actually there’s a motif with a hardcore punk/crossover built, enriched with tech thrash elements and prog influences. Finally in their own words: “This album was inspired by the increase in worldwide insanity. The degradation in general mental health was clearly noticeable these last years. It was apparent through ex-friends that went berserk, our own personal struggles, as well as the polarization and extremism building up around the globe. During all the lockdowns and recent uncertainty about the future, we felt like sharing our thoughts on the unsustainable nature of our modern lives, which are clearly starting to crumble. The title track, Chiroptera, was named after the album’s artwork by Adam Burke. He created this piece at the start of the Covid pandemic. For us, it perfectly represented the period during which the songs were written and the wrath that humanity was responsible in creating for itself.” “Chiroptera” is probably one of the best thrash metal albums for 2022!
