__ __
_()__::_ _::_ ___:::___ ___:::____ _::_ _()_
||_> <__::__> <_,_) _ (_ __) _ (_ _> <________:||
|| \/ _/ | \_/ | \| \||
|| | | | | | ||
|| | | | | | ||
|| | | | | | ||
|| __ _ | | | | | __ ||
|| ||\/| | | | | | |\ ||
|| || | | | | | || ||
|| _:_ixxu | _:_:\____:::_____/\____:::____//_:____||_____||
||_> <_____!__> '|_> _ <_ _) _ (_ <__! ||
|| \! | | \/ | \! /______ ||
|| \ | | | | | //||
|| __ / | | | | | \\|
|| |> \ | | | | | | ||
|| |------ \ | | | | | | ||
== |> / | ____:____ | | | |> ==
|| | / |\ \ | | | | ||
|| / ------ \ | | ||
||\__ _____/| _ _______:_____/ \_____ _____// ___________||
`/ | _> | _> | > | _> | _> \'
|/ |/ |/ |/ |/
! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Bloodletter
Album.......: Leave the Light Behind
Year........: 2025
Genre.......: Thrash Metal
Type........: Album
Label.......: Wise Blood Records
Language....: English
Source......: WEB
Encoder.....: libFLAC
Quality.....: 992 kbps avg. / 44.1kHz / 2 channels
Tracks......: 10
Playtime....: 00:34:54
Size........: 263.89MB
R.Date......: 2025-07-27
S.Date......: 2025-07-25
Url.........: http://tidal.com/browse/album/432226095
01. A World Unmade 3:59
02. On Blackened Wings 3:19
03. Eternal Winter 3:09
04. Terminal 3:27
05. Unearthing Darkness 3:06
06. Hunting Horror 3:53
07. The Black Death 2:52
08. Call of the Deep One 3:40
09. The Burial 3:07
10. Night Terrors 4:22
Hot off HoldeneyeÆs 3.5 for their third album,
ChicagoÆs Bloodletter jumps right back into more
thrashy melodeath with album number four, Leave the
Light Behind. Holdeneye saw a big improvement between
sophomore record Funeral Hymns and A Different Kind of
Hell, saying he finally saw what so enamored Angry
Metal Guy about Funeral Hymns.1 I too, grew enamored
when I first set my ears on their style of smooth,
polished thrash. Bloodletter play my kind of
kryptoniteùcatchy, melodic guitar leads with tons of
energy. When I saw this hit the promo bin, I
immediately snatched it before Dr. AMG could get his
hands on it. I was anxious to discover if Bloodletter
could keep up with the energy and expert melodicism of
their previous work.
Leave the Light Behind continues in the melothrash
vein of its predecessor, combining thunderous,
lightning-fast blast beats with memorable harmonic
riffs. Bloodletter sounds as if they were born of an
orgy between Black Dahlia Murder, Death Angel, Exodus,
and At the Gates. If that doesnÆt sound like a good
time, then you should get your ears checked by one of
our staff doctors. Bloodletter has an undeniable
polish, giving them a modern sound, though that means
they miss out on the charms of the raw energy of
Bonded by Blood or Slaughter of the Soul. In some
ways, theyÆve even upped their thrash gameùsome of
those tremolos are so speedy I canÆt help but wonder
if they contracted Flash as a special guest. However,
itÆs not all speed all the time. A few songs slow
things down to a mid-tempo while still managing to
sound fresh and vivacious (ôTerminal,ö ôCall of the
Deep Oneö). They even have a moment on ôNight Terrorsö
where a haunting piano intro lulls you into expecting
a ballad before the sudden booming snare drum knocks
you flat. Nonetheless, the albumÆs breakneck velocity
ensures that its 34 minutes are over in the blink of
an eye. So you better pay attention.
Between Funeral Hymns and Leave the Light Behind,
thereÆs no denying the quality and growth of these
musicians. The muscular drums and frenzied, yet
disciplined, riffs keep a breathless pace. Yet drummer
Zach Sutton and guitarists Peter Carparelli and Pat
Armamentos display some nuance to show that
Bloodletter is more than simple speed bag-level
velocity. Most impressive are the harmonic guitar
leads featured in many choruses. You might not find
yourself singing along to the words, but you might
instead hum along to the catchy melodic riffage on
display during ôA World Unmade,ö ôTerminal,ö and
ôUnearthing Darkness.ö For these alone, I feel that
Leave the Light Behind is a step up from its
predecessor. Even outside of the harmonic leads, the
riffs are a blast, and thanks to their variety, they
never grow stale or repetitive
One major point of criticism aimed at Bloodletter,
both from Holdeneye and readers, is CarparelliÆs
one-note vocals. Personally, they donÆt bother me
much. His scratchy shouts bring a punky energy that
adds some urgency to the thrash. Yet itÆs true that
his voice hovers in a state of limboùhe lacks the
snarls of Trevor Strnad, nor does he truly sing like
AnthraxÆs Joey Belladonna. Those put off by him on
previous albums wonÆt find the vocal situation any
different this time around. I still find Carparelli
effective, especially on ôThe Black Death,ö the rare
song where the singing on the chorus is more fun than
the riffs. He brings forth a burst of raw, despairing
anger as he sings ôThis is more than sickness / ItÆs a
god damn tragedy.ö Carparelli nicely complements the
rest of the music, and his personality has begun to
bleed into the DNA of Bloodletter, making him an
inseparable part of it.
If what you want is a tight, enjoyable piece of
melodic thrash, then you canÆt do much better than
Leave the Light Behind. Bloodletter has undeniably
honed their craft into a no-frills, efficient exemplar
of the style. And itÆs another notch in the belt for
Chicago, Illinois, along with Blind Equation, Bear
Mace, and the new Pope. Maybe if Chicago sports
stadiums played music from these local bands, fans
would have something to cheer about. Leave the Light
Behind also continues the winning streak for
Bloodletter. As far as thrash and melodeath go, this
is one of the standouts of 2025.