Under The Oak - 2020 - Ripped Up By The Roots

 (58:13; Wormholedeath)

Track list:
1. Tribulation
2. Chaos in the Pit
3. Hymn for the Fallen
4. The Fountain
5. War of Attrition
6. Total Human Destruction
7. Turned into Leaves
8. Wrath of Nature
9. Butterflies & Unicorns
10. Terror & Violence
11. Solitude
12. Pounding Metal

Line-up:
Jostein - vocals
Bolverk - guitars
Hillbilly Bill - bass
Marius - drums

Norwegian band UNDER THE OAK started out a few years back as more of a fun tribute thing, growing out of a local metal scene and metal club in rural Norway. As with many bands that have started out doing tribute material they developed into writing their own material too, and in the fall of 2020 they released their debut album "Ripped Up By The Roots" through the label Wormholedeath.

The band's affection for classic era thrash metal and related music is a fact the band aren't afraid to talk about, and those who expect them to play material of this nature on their debut album won't be disappointed. From classic Bay Area creations to more energetic crossover-oriented material of the kind that makes me think of bands like Nuclear Assault most fans of the 80's thrash metal scene will find plenty to enjoy on this album. The members of this band probably know about more bands and albums from that era than most of the fans listening to this type of music in the first place, and those fond of discovering details borrowed from here or there can probably spend a good few months tracking down all the details.

But besides chugging riff cascades with subtle impact riffs, groove-oriented riff patterns and staccato, hammering riff and rhythm constructions Under The Oak brings a few additional elements to the table. One such aspect is that they will sometimes use a tighter, more buzzing guitar sound that in my view have stronger similarities with more contemporary extreme metal than the classic thrash metal of yesteryear. On occasion they also have an energetic go that makes me add a slight death metal remark to the proceedings - cue the more pace-filled passages on a song like 'Total Human Destruction'.

Another aspect where this band separates a bit from other bands is the subtle, sublime and almost understated guitar work of guitarist Bolverk. From careful note alterations to delicate melodic overlays, small intricate melody inserts and an array of flowing, atmospheric laden guitar solo runs his input into these songs adds quite a bit of character and quality to this production, elevating the end result in a distinctly non-obtrusive manner. And while I may be mistaken here, one of the songs carries some plucked guitar undercurrents that gave me associations towards the still great Al Di Meola - if not in style then at least in sound.

Otherwise I note that the mix and production most certainly elevated the end result of this album, with a crisp, finely balanced sound throughout. Open enough to allow all the individual elements and more careful details to shine, but also filling up the soundscapes when the band is going all out or explore a richer, more majestic sound. The latter aspect is obviously prominent when the band have a go at a Candlemass classic towards the end of this CD.

Personally I would have liked singer Jostein to use a bit more melody and a bit less raw power as far as the vocals aspect of this album is concerned. He is in tune and on tune though, which in itself establishes him as a better than average vocalist in the metal scene in my opinion. Matters such as vocal style is obviously a matter of personal taste too, and I know that many metal fans will prefer power over melody in the vocals department. Especially in the more energetic varieties of metal.

From my perspective this is a fine debut album by Under The Oak, and a production they can be proud of. This is a nice amalgam of old school and new school thrash metal, at least in my subjective opinion, and while the old school approach probably dominates this album it isn't an exclusive feature by any means in my more or less humble opinion. A solid, well made album that merits a check by those who know and love their thrash metal is my verdict.

Olav M. Björnsen, October 2020

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/oakthrash
http://www.wormholedeath.com/