“Are they actually youngsters or veterans?” was a question discussed in our camp before we checked out CYCLONE at last year’s issue of Headbangers Open Air in Northern Germany. The answer became apparent when they pretty much blasted us away a little while later. Despite having been around since 1981 under that name (with a brief stint under the name of CENTURION before that), the five lads from Vilvoorde, Belgium, still know how to pack a proper Thrash Metal punch. On this EP (released by underground Metal aficionados High Roller Records), CYCLONE deliver a package of five songs that reminds me of the golden days of many other great Thrash bands. Whereas German Deaf Forever magazine has it that their two albums “Brutal Destruction” and “Inferior To None” combined the ruggedness of old KREATOR with the vigour of EXODUS or DARK ANGEL, I had some other impressions (older as well as more modern ones) when listening to the EP. Pushed forward by singer Guido Gevels’ remarkable voice, the band still manages to combine various ideas of this particular subgenre of Heavy Metal. Influences that came to my mind were DEATH ANGEL (as in their phase during the 2000s) – check out ‘ Known Unto God’! – or maybe also SACRED REICH (“Ignorance”) and older, “Arise” like SEPULTURA, as in the opener ‘Eliminate’. ‘I Fear Myself’ even seems to have a bit of a FEAR FACTORY vibe, though definitely without any Industrial bits. Certainly no bad references, eh? If this review struck a chord with you, be quick or be dead – the EP is limited to only 300 copies! It comes in coloured 12″ vinyl and on CD. Let’s hope that CYCLONE follow up this great work with another full-length album, as it’s definitely been too long since their second longplayer! www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063577267482, www.facebook.com/hrrecords