Record Label: Listenable Records
Genre: Thrash
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

Hailing from France, Lyzanxia plays powerful thrash metal. I like the vocals, which range from thrash screeching to throaty singing to multi-backed melodic ballading. It’s done well – the vox are never too scary or wussy.

Musically, Lyzanxia has a groove-laden, driving sound, with what sometimes sounds like three guitars. Like most European bands, their trash is steeped in metal, unlike the sludgy metalcore from the States. A good way of looking at it is that US bands play only rhythm guitar, while metal should always have both rhythm and lead. As such, most US metalcore and thrash bands only bother with chugging along, giving little consideration to melodic guitar lines, spirited fret work and the sorely missed guitar solo. Lyzanxia don’t have that problem, and excel in marrying melodic guitar work and singing with the aggression of thrash.

As for songwriting – well, I found I couldn’t tell most songs apart and nothing was truly memorable. This was good background thrash and while I applaud the return to talented metal, it wasn’t a religious experience.

Bottom Line: Above-average thrash from France.
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