Active since 2016, Polish outfit FRIGHTFUL has two studio albums and three demo tapes under their belts. Their second album was put out by Godz Ov War Productions and now they have released “Born After Astral Rites”, a compilation of their demo recordings: “Born After Burial” from 2017, “Cannibalistic Rites” from 2018 and “Astral Freeze” from 2019. The band’s line-up for these demos was Krzysztof on drums, Pawel on guitars and Oskar handling bass and vocals. Now, I have not listened to their albums (2021 and 2025), so I can only guess what they sound like, since they added another guitarist, Eryk, to the fold in 2023 before releasing their second album. So let’s focus on these demo tapes. The production logically varies from one to the other, but it is really good overall. “Born After Burial” has a strong brutal Death Metal influence. The sound is rawer, brighter and more compact. Blast beats, palm muted riffs, manic midrange vocals and a constant pounding that never lets go. With an average of two and a half minutes per song, you know exactly what to expect. Early DEEDS OF FLESH mixed with some D-Beat grooves came to mind while listening to this one. “Cannibalistic Rites” shows how the band is now shifting their sound. They keep up with the fast pace and the manic vocals, but blast beats are less present in favor of more Thrash Metal and “headbanging” rhythms. Complex riffs and song development have stepped up. Finally, the production has more depth with prominent low frequencies and a really solid mix. I may be wrong, but some parts of “Cannibalistic Rites” reminded me of a heavier version of Greek Death / Thrashers DEATH COURIER. Last but not least, we have “Astral Freeze”. This three song demo was recorded live and it sounds amazingly good. From what I can hear, it seems there were no studio overdubs. Here is where I can hear that FRIGHTFUL has infused their music with a healthy dose of Thrash Metal, moving away from the brutal Death they were playing in their early material. Basically, an extraordinary mix of Death and Thrash Metal that shows character and more important, identity. “Born After Astral Rites” showcases FRIGHTFUL’s evolution in both sound and depth. Fans of the band should go get this one ASAP, but I do recommend this one to any and all Metalheads out there. Quality Death / Thrash for the masses! Support the band at www.facebook.com/frightfulband and get this album from www.facebook.com/godzovwarproductions