That metal sensibility ensures that this record is a more measured album than almost anything released by their peers and perfectly marries power and speed. While many thrash bands professed a lineage in hardcore Xentrix were pretty much all about the metal and the soaring classical lines that permeate Shattered Existence have much more in common with bands like Iron Maiden whilst the energy they draw from is in tune with Venom rather than The Exploited. However, the magic lies in the fact that Xentrix never lose sight of melody and no matter how complex things get they remain fundamentally tuneful and it’s easy to hear why ‘Balance’ continues to ignite mosh pits to this very day. Full of neat time changes this was about as technical as thrash got in 1989 and it’s hard not to over-estimate just how revolutionary this sounded. I’m picking up a definite Metallica influence here, especially the Justice record and ‘Balance Of Power’ finds the two guitarists colliding and intertwining to create a maze of intricate webs.
When the band drop a gear to deliver the groove laden ‘Balance Of Power’ they swing like an uncontrollable wrecking ball that causes all sorts of damage. In an age when it was almost de rigour for British thrash albums to sound thin and reedy Shattered Existence benefits from John Cuniberti’s full production and he’s given Xentrix a hefty sound without forsaking their raw edge. His voice is more like an instrument and adds extra weight to ‘No Compromise’.
Vocalist Chris Astley had the perfect pipes for thrash and his 20-Marlboro-a-day growl add an extra edge to the band’s sound. Threatening to go off the Richter Scale it’s the perfect musical manifesto and contains one of the sickest riffs known to man and when you factor in a rhythm section pulverising the listener into submission you have a thrasher of the highest order. It finds Xentrix arriving with full force and planting their flag firmly on the global thrash map. Arriving perfectly formed their debut album Shattered Existence was a game changer and there’s no better time to rediscover this gem than with this loving re-issue.Īs opening shots go things don’t get much better than first salvo, the obstinate ‘No Compromise’. As one of the ‘Big 4’ of UK thrash (alongside Acid Reign, Onslaught and Sabbat) Preston’s Xentrix had a technical edge and a strong melodic sensibility which elevated them above their peers.
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