Invitation to a nightmare
[ Logo: Ersin Kara ]
Action: SMORRAH
Title: Welcome To Your Nightmare
Base: Gelsenkirchen • Germany
Style: Death Thrash Metal
Genre: Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Groove Metal
FFO: Pantera, Sepultura, Exhorder
Type: Full-length
Format: CD + Vinyl + Cassette
Label: Sick Taste Records
Release: Feb. 23, 2024
Bulletpoints:
🔘 Strong debut album from the German powerhouse
🔘 Enormously rich, full-bodied Death Thrash package
🔘 Hard-hitting, precise and catchy material
https://smorrah.com/
https://smorrah.bandcamp.com/
Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/smorrah
https://www.instagram.com/smorrah_official
https://twitter.com/smorrahofficial
https://www.tiktok.com/@smorrah
Buy online:
https://sektor12shop.de/epages/6c4798ca-5432-4f6d-8408-8e58beb96d35.mobile/de_DE/?ObjectID=1682740&ViewAction=FacetedSearchProducts&SearchString=Smorrah
&
https://sicktasterecords.bigcartel.com/product/presale-smorrah-welcome-to-your-nightmare-sick-034
The nameplate of this damn sturdy precision Thrash machine reads 2017 – and, yes, the four Thrash’n’Death metallers from SMORRAH are definitely powerhouse guys!
Location: Gelsenkirchen. That’s right, the oft-mentioned city known for its glorious soccer club Schalke 04, also home to the Teutonic Thrash Metal pioneers of Sodom. In this former mining area, the eerie legend of the nasty demon "Smorra", who sits on the chests of sleeping people at night and tries to suffocate them bitterly, has been reverently told for generations.
[ Pic: Anna-Lena Hickmann ]
LINE-UP:
Marius Wegener • Vocals
Daniel ‚Pumper‘ Hartmann • Guitars
Christian ‚Kraje‘ Krajewski • Bass
Raphael Swierczynski • Drums
Our local patriotic heroes gave their own heavy steel commando such a demonic name. Also breathtaking are the stunningly vehemently riffed, fatally powerful and groovy SMORRAH blasts of notes, skillfully crowned by many technical refinements – DEATH THRASH METAL that just pops!
With charismatic playing strength, the bright formation delivers immensely intense, gripping song loads, all of which drill into your consciousness like a workaholic miner on adrenaline!
SMORRAH have also written some similarly spooky stories on their sooty banner, which the determined and tried-and-tested foursome around front beast Marius hoist high into the half-heartedly blowing trend wind!
With their unmistakable and thoroughly uncompromising sound, paired with gloomy lyrics, the band knows how to convince every time anew! Influences from all Metal genres and beyond come together to form a Groove Thrash monster that takes no prisoners.
[ Artwork: Timon Kokott ]
TRACKS:
📺 01. Welcome To Your Nightmare 04:51
02. Dead Snake Eyes 04:45
📺 03. Age Of Decay 05:54
04. Killing Spree 03:58
05. Hope Dies Last 03:45
06. Buried Underneath 05:40
07. Death Awaits 05:00
08. Evil Betrayal 05:19
09. When The Tide Comes In 06:25
total 45:42
With their debut album „Welcome To Your Nightmare“, SMORRAH release a total of 9 variedly conceived and hellishly powerfully produced songs.
High tension is guaranteed:
„Welcome To Your Nightmare“ energetically takes the listener on a gripping journey into the dark abysses of human psychology, leaving you hardly any time to catch your breath – the deliciously tight, bludgeon-from-the-bag quartet really does more than justify the legend surrounding the band’s name!
Tireless headbangers, maniacal Thrashers and hungry Groove heads will all get their money’s worth.
And anyone who has experienced these four likeable, down-to-earth heavyweights from Gelsenkirchen at one of their highly explosive and absolutely sweat-inducing live shows knows that there is only one direction with SMORRAH: Straight ahead!
Auf Loik!
DISCOGRAPHY:
2018 • The Evil Within • EP
2020 • Necrosouls • Single
2022 • Live At Helvete • Live Album
2024 • Welcome To Your Nightmare • Full-length
MEDIA FEEDBACK:
9,5 / 10
➤ „… fat riffs that almost take your breath away … the fantastic thing about the guys from Gelsenkirchen is that they don’t let anything get in their way and do their own thing … Caution: danger of addiction! Groovy thrash monsters could also be lurking by your bedside, waiting for a favourable opportunity …“
(Bleeding4Metal)
9 / 10
➤ „… singer Marius can not only growl very cool, he also has clear vocals that get under your skin … blast their groovy riff monsters almost non-stop around your ears or sneak into your thoughts in quiet passages … one of the pearls of the underground, if not the pearl of the month … convinces with honest Metal that defies all trends and fires from all cylinders for the entire playing time!“
(Obliveon)
9 / 10
➤ „… really fat … produces strong pressure … SMORRAH process the anger in their songs and you can feel that in the relentless sound … everything is offered to torture your neck muscles or to let off steam in the mosh pit … what a great groovy crusher!“
(Metalheads DE)
9 / 10
➤ „… a very good debut … convinces with great musical work and ingenious songwriting … never gets boring, but makes you want more … what stands out above all is the constant musical class … not only the voice of Wegener can be heard, but also the qualities of the other musicians … so one perfectly written riff chases the next and the solos are also uniquely played … Thrash songwriting in a class of its own …“
(Soundmagnet)
4 / 5
➤ „… a proof to SMORRAH’s ability to combine Thrash and Groove Metal influences into a cohesive and devastatingly heavy sound. With unrelenting aggression, haunting atmospheres and impressive musicianship, this album is a must for fans of extreme Metal … cementing their place among the genre’s top acts.“
(MetalUnderground AT)
8,8 / 10
➤ „A true Thrash monster … a very fat debut album, which not only comes along with energetic music, but was also packed with a fat sound. A cool combination of old and new Thrash.“
(Zephyr’s Odem)
8,6 / 10
➤ „… absolutely pummelling … definitely nods to Kreator and Sodom in here and the other German Thrash classics too … melodic leads … shreddy as hell too in spots … absolutely fantastic debut … crowned as my favourite Thrash Metal release so far this year … if you just love everything about Thrash and German Thrash, then this absolute ripper is going to be right up your street …“
(Drako’s Death Metal News & Reviews)
8,5 / 10
➤ „… relentless sound … powerful … as an experienced disciple in the thrash metal universe, you can raise your eyebrows with enthusiasm … the fire of Sepultura meets the groove of Pantera, mixes with the coldness of Sodom and Kreator and yet has a whole unique style of its own that makes SMORRAH stand out from the sometimes confusing swamp of releases …“
(Powermetal DE)
8 / 10
➤ „… nine songs that kick ass … mixture of Thrash Metal (musically), Death Metal (vocally) and a bit of Groove Metal (rhythmically) … contemporary, no cheap Retro Thrash … manage to inspire the old and the new generation alike … the production is mega fat and bangs … a successful debut!“
(Crossfire)
8 / 10
➤ „… skilfully combine the qualities of bands like Sodom (also based in Gelsenkirchen), Sepultura and Pantera. Of course, one or two riffs sound very familiar, but otherwise they sound very independent. Good and varied songwriting. Good debut album. If you like your thrash metal varied and don’t just like thrashing speed, you can pick this up without hesitation.“
(Time For Metal)
3,5 / 5
➤ „Get ready to bang your head nonstop while raising your horns … old school, 80’s-infused Thrash Metal extravaganza spearheaded by classic riffs … Marius deeply vociferating like a demented beast … unstoppable, violent sounds brought into being while also alternating between more melodic moments and pure savagery …“
(The Headbanging Moose)
➤ „… steely inferno … relentless heaviness … brute energy and gritty riffs create an atmosphere that is honest, hard and uncompromising … debut album that perfectly epitomises the heaviness of Thrash/Death Metal … with menacing intensity reflected in every track …“
(BlattTurbo)
➤ „Do you like your Death Metal with rich elements of Thrash? And preferably with a bit of Groove throughout? Don’t worry – SMORRAH is the answer to your prayers… hard, delivered with tremendous precision and still catchy in that cool way… 9 strong tracks… sure to have many hitting the repeat button, because you can just listen to it again… and again…“
(Rancor Metalzine)
➤ „… technically high quality … fast, melodic, groovy … the guitars have great moments throughout the album … it just fits … sounds really cool … vocals – my goodness where does the man get these sounds from – Marius‘ style is brutal, varied and simply … SMORRAH’s debut is a board before the Lord and an absolute buy recommendation …“
(MetalZone – Support The Underground)
➤ „… cool Groove Thrash … really cool mixture … not only on the cap … but also great guitar work, also with nice warm parts … really good …“
(Scream For Metal)
➤ „… unsettling and ferocious … uncompromising and at times groove laden … sounds less like a debut album and more like the work of a band that have been playing together for years, which bodes very well for the longevity of Metal …“
(The Razor’s Edge)
➤ „… Thrash Metal rocket that could have come straight from the Bay Area … this thing rattles brutally and just waltzes over you … it’s a real mouthful … awesome! Fans of the band will be delighted … a brutally good album!“
(Festivalstalker)
➤ „… killer … strong Thrash album … if you like Thrash metal, you will definitely like it … a little underdog pearl … I can only warmly recommend SMORRAH …“
(Moshpit Passion)
➤ „… finally … leave you barely able to breathe … the band’s high energy and live performance make the entire 45-minute album an ideal headbanger. The best examples of this are ‚Age Of Decay‘ or ‚Buried Underneath‘ …“
(Hardrock LT)
➤ „…of high quality, with thoughtful songs in a style that pushes technique and groove in equal measure, with enough energy and speed for my needs and yet with a more open approach to arranging where there is room for different tempos and atmospheres. Solid!“
(Cvecezla)
➤ „Each song on the album offers a different experience, showcasing different essences that intermingle between the Thrash and Death base … demonstrates their ability to navigate a wide range of emotions and sounds within Metal … agonizing vocal performance … excellent instrumental execution … offering a very personal sound … an intense debut that will not disappoint you.“
(TNT Radio Rock)
