Style: Thrash metal, groove metal, death metal (Mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: The Big Four, Death, Sepultura
Country: yes1
Release date: 28 March 2025
Every once in a while, there comes a band from far out of my musical comfort zone that takes me from “Oh, here we go…” to “Shit, that’s good!”. Eight Lives Down, with their unique take on old-school thrash metal, is one such band. Thrash metal, especially thrash that’s heavy enough to border on death metal, like in this case, is not a genre I often enjoy. Nevertheless, Fates, Eight Lives Down’s sophomore record, drew me in and remained a staple of my rotation throughout last year. But what makes this album so captivating that it breaks through my genre bias and has me singing its praises so long after its release?
Two words: Innovation and tradition. These two concepts may seem to be at odds with one another, yet they constitute the backbone of Eight Lives Down’s music. The band’s sound is firmly rooted in the 80s, but instead of aping, subverting, or deconstructing their influences, Eight Lives Down build upon them in a way that’s respectful and forward-thinking. They do this by incorporating a myriad of styles, odd time signatures, fat grooves, and … traditional Greek folk music? Now, I can already imagine your brows rising, but hot damn, it fits surprisingly well. Ever-present in the band’s tonality, from the vocal lines to the acoustic interludes to even the riffs, this Balkan twist helps create a sound that’s instantly recognizable yet excitingly fresh.
This dichotomy between familiarity and novelty is also present in the way Fates is mastered. The production has both the clarity of modern releases and the rawness of classic thrash, with just a hint of that “boxiness” that screams “old-school”. Owners of JBL headphones may rejoice, as the lows are well-emphasized without any of the booming noise that commonly accompanies such attempts. Eight Lives Down employs a rather bare-bones instrumentation, allowing the mix to pound you in the face while retaining enough dynamic range to let the calmer moments breathe. Every instrument has enough space to shine, which is fortunate, since all band members turn in excellent performances. Rodrigo Moraes Cruz’s drumwork is technical but subtle, with smooth transitions to odd rhythms (“Dog’s breakfast”) and grooves that make me want to turn my living room into a moshpit (“Fishbones”). His drumming lays a rock-solid foundation for the guitar to go loud and proud in all its glorious riffage. Paul Allain’s riffs go from punky and headbangable to intricate; his solos flaunt just enough technique to be impressive but not wanky (“Phobia”). The man of the hour for me, however, is Marcin Orczyk on bass. Calm or menacing, brutal or funky, yet ever exciting, his playing goes above and beyond the regular duties of a bass player, whether providing support or taking the lead (“Storm”). And to my utmost delight, the bass. Fuckin’. SLAPS! This is how you do justice to that instrument!
For most listeners, however, frontwoman Aliki Katriou’s eccentric performance will be the stand-out feature of Fates. Her harshes are throaty and vicious, following in the footsteps of the late, great Chuck Schuldiner (Death), but it’s her cleans that earn Aliki a paragraph of her own. She covers an impressive range both in technique and tone. Her main approach is reminiscent of the thrash singers of yore, with a vocal prowess none of them ever had—utilizing a low chest voice where she can still confidently do half-note bends. Aliki’s finest moments, though, are when she demonstrates her versatility: she switches from charismatic lows and ferocious harshes to gentle head voice (“Green Light in the Distance”), belted highs (“Deicide”), and even operatic singing(“The Process of Dying”) with confident ease. Her frequently emphasized Greek accent, with delightfully trilled ‘r’s, lends a much-appreciated sardonic feel to the music. I do love a band that don’t take themselves too seriously, and the cheeky tone fits wonderfully with Eight Lives Down‘s punky aesthetic.
Thematically, Fates revolves around alienation and dehumanization caused by the artificial divisions and resurgent tribalism of modern society. Bringing up contemporary issues is in good thrash tradition, and Eight Lives Down tackle those issues with welcome maturity. The band’s aim is to point out and provoke, not to preach and patronize, making the record awfully relatable. Eight Lives Down‘s raw, aggressive, and often cynical delivery perfectly expresses the vexation of the individual caught in the crossfire of the extremes.
Just shy of an hour, the runtime of Fates might seem off-putting, but rest assured, Eight Lives Down earns every minute. Quality is fairly consistent throughout the album; but style, on the other hand, shows significant variation. While the first half of Fates is a meticulous exploration of the band’s core sound, gradually building up intensity and complexity, the second half sees Eight Lives Down experiment with various genres. “Green Light in the Distance” forays into classic heavy metal and black metal territory, “Left Behind” mixes traditional prog metal elements with its grooves, and “The Process of Dying” brings in western and opera.2 Eclecticism is a welcome trait in a prog band, and everything thrown at the wall here sticks, but this quality should be in balance with cohesion. In the case of the back half of Fates, I feel the scales tip towards the former. As a result, some songs, while great on their own, may feel a little out of place in the greater context of Fates. However, this is a minor criticism of an otherwise excellent record.
With an inventive combination of traditional styles and unusual influences, Eight Lives Down created a smart, eccentric, and exciting album that no fan of progressive metal should miss. Thoughtful themes, aggressive presentation, and fantastic performances deliver the musical equivalent of a gut-punch that you won’t soon forget. The contrasts in the composition may seem sharp, but never do the threads of Fates unravel; I’m left eagerly awaiting what other fine sonic tapestries this talented group may weave for us in the future.
Recommended tracks: Void, Deicide, The Process of Dying
You may also like: Confess, Horrendous, Tiktaalika
Final verdict: 8/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Independent
Eight Lives Down is:
– Aliki Katriou (vocals)
– Paul Allain (guitar)
– Marcin Orczyk (bass)
– Rodrigo Moraes Cruz (drums)
With guests:
– Hellscore (Gregorian chants)
