When it comes to old school, MASTER are as true to the title as it gets. Founded in 1983, the band, helmed by the well-known Paul Speckmann, has produced fifteen albums over the span of four decades. Speckmann, who is now 60, is still producing hard-charging, thunderous Death Metal. On “Saints Dispelled”, released through Hammerheart Records, there is proof that less is more. The Speckmann fronted trio keep it straight to the point with nothing but crushing riffs, pounding drums and blistering leads. The album opener, ‘Destruction In June’, is pure fury, a proper starting point. A vicious riff of surgical single-note tremolo meets rapid fire double bass, cyclically repeating, while Speckmann belts out a death growl over top the chaos. The song kicks into a thrashier groove and a ripping solo takes lead of the song for over a minute. Between the main riff, which is constant tension and release over and over, and the furious stampede of drumming, this is a track that is sure to peak the listener’s attention. ‘Walk In The Footsteps Of Doom’ and the title track, ‘Saints Dispelled’, are both thrashing Death Metal that’s by the book; solid primary riffs, ripping solos, drums that vary from storming double-bass to Thrash style bass drum triplet abuse, and Speckmann’s gruff vocals. ‘Minds Under Pressure’ is the most hook-heavy song on “Saints Dispelled” thanks to its repeating chorus, which just begs for crowd interaction. Speckmann may no longer reside in Chicago, but this tracks screams Chicago Death Metal from its core, with head banging groove intersecting with crushing heaviness. ‘Find Your Life’ sees a primary riff of palm-muted chugging fifth chords trading off with a flurry of rapid descending hammer-ons before transitioning into a melodic single note riff. Much like all the previous tracks, there are more blistering solos ready to uncover and double-bass transitions between the verses that counteract the modern groove with old school power. ‘Marred And Diseased’ is a rhythm based monstrosity sure to whip a room into a frenzy. ‘The Wiseman’ opens with a beautiful clean riff with Middle Eastern-sounding accenting that gets some contrast from a distorted guitar doubling the riff. The peace of the intro is incinerated by a flurry of bass drum pummeling, while the intro riff is sped up immensely to serve as the main propulsion for the track. “Saints Dispelled” also comes with two bonus tracks for the CD version, ‘Nomads’, which is another jab of thrash Death Metal and the eight minutes long ‘Alienation Of Insanity’, laden with groove and more razor sharp soloing. Even at album number fifteen, MASTER still have a lot to offer and ‘Saints Dispelled’ stands as a rock-solid piece of thrashing Death Metal. Paul Speckmann and his team put together an album packed full of riffs that’s to the point, precise and has no smoke and mirrors whatsoever. Proof that not every riff in the rehearsal room needs to hit the album, the stripped-down three-piece approach means a lot of groove and a lot of doomier Death Metal passages, and the soloing throughout the album is well constructed and fluid. MASTER keep it true and deliver another solid record. For more information on MASTER, see www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial and for more information on Hammerheart Records, check out www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords.

Sixty years old and still the MASTER: I guess Paul Speckmann needs no introduction here, nor does his band MASTER after fourty years (with some time off in the chaotic early days). So I directly move on over to their newest album “Saints Dispelled”. And anybody into MASTER will not be disappointed with the album, as this band is solid as a rock. What we find on this album is that mix of extreme Thrash Metal with the vibes of early Death Metal and a Hardcore Punk attitude this band is known for. And loved for by some, but not many. I have to admit that I am among those who dig their style, as MASTER always kept it simple and straight, with just a few experiments. As far as “Saints Dispelled” is concerned, I immediately liked what Paul recorded with his Czech allies Alex Nejezchleba and Peter Bajci. The opening song ‘Destruction In June’ took only seconds to raise my fist and bang my head. Even though the typical D-Beat is the dominating speed of the album, MASTER know how to use it as variable as possible to create an album that will not get one-dimensional. Moreover, the new drummer Peter adds a refreshing energy to the songs. Thus “Saints Dispelled” is in my humble opinion one of the best albums MASTER released in the last more than twenty years. Songs like ‘Walk In The Footsteps Of Doom’ or ‘Marred And Diseased’ are real fine examples of how MASTER need to sound in my ears. Hammerheart Records, the label now responsible for the band, will put out the album in many versions. Asides from a vinyl and a tape version, there are also two CD editions, a digipak and a box set with some extra goodies that is limited to 500 copies. These CD versions (as well as the digital edition) offer two more tracks than the analog versions of the album. While ‘Nomads’ completely fits the rest of the album, ‘Alienation Of Insanity’ knows to surprise. I really like the more slowed down tempo of this song that even has a certain BLACK SABBATH styled Doom Metal vibe in the middle part. Due to this great song you might consider getting a digital edition of “Saints Dispelled”. www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial, www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords

The Speckmann trademark never disappoints! The 15th studio album for the Death / Thrash masters’ MASTER (pun intended) finally sees its light after six years from his predecessor “Vindictive Miscreant”, which at the time I found as a good work. Since 2018 we have a new drummer, Peter Bajci, and always Alex Nejezchleba on guitars, alongside with the mastermind Paul Speckmann. “Saints Dispelled” is absolutely what you would expect from a historical band like MASTER. Death / Thrash Metal straight to the point. Good riffs, good solos and alternating tempo changes. In my opinion Speckmann’s voice is like good wine and his characteristic dragged singing is always a warranty. The overall songs structure is defined by the trademark with which the band has accustomed its listeners. The production seems to be a little lower compared to some of the previous work, but nothing to worry about since this gives some good old school vibes. If you liked the previous MASTER work, you will easily love this one too. The standard version contains eight tracks while the CD version, object of our multi review, is gifted with two bonus tracks – ‘Nomads’ and ‘Alienation Of Insanity’ – and I definitely suggest you this version. www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial, www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords

Since the mid ’80s, the indomitable force of Speckmann’s been snarling and over 40 years later the mighty force of MASTER is en route to struck once again! They have been striking firm since the self-titled debut was released by which countless many thrown to the wave of an intimidating Death Metal sound in the early ’90s which mingled with a dirty kind of Metal that has a lot of battering Punk and Hardcore attitude fronted by the rousing hooks of D-Beats. The legacy grew profoundly over decades and the last studio album by MASTER “Vindictive Miscreant” was revealed in 2018. And it remains reasonable to all aware that due to a few other blistering projects Speckmann involved in, the waiting time for another MASTER album could be rather long. However, I have no reservations to disclose, I never feel rushed on anything related to MASTER. As somehow bafflingly MASTER always comes back with something, right in time. So, my anticipation of what Mr. Speckmann is brewing in secrecy was deep inside, and as soon as I heard some internal buzz and excitement for the now-surfaced “Saints Dispelled”, it peaked higher. Then as aptly the title demonstrates, the new record comes with sonic fury inside, likewise we human beings are experiencing from the current outside world reality. This 15th full-length release features ten brutal and ruthless Death Metal songs. I surely didn’t expect to find songs like ‘Pledge Of Allegiance’, ‘Pay To Die’, ‘Smile As You’re Told’ or ‘Subdue The Politician’, but with the roaring opener ‘Destruction In June’, it immediately got clear – these unbendable veterans have lost none of their songwriting charm, distinctive venomous edges or none of Paul’s cutthroat commentary on human existence and what lies ahead! In terms of structure, it displays all MASTER trademarks. It has those fiendish pace, tantalizing breaks, wickedest vocals, and a massive rhythm section. And as expected yet which always awe-dropping to reason, Paul Speckmann again pry all with his vocals almost like, bellows into a hellish fury. So are his rambling bass movements that thunder smashed with their slow death like characteristic drums, skull-piercing riffages, mind altering solos and shrill guitar tone, which altogether feels like a tempest of systematic insanity. Transmitting these, the coming numbers ‘Walk In The Footsteps Of Doom’, ‘Minds Under Pressure’, ‘Find Your Life’ and ‘Marred And Diseased’ will throwback the impression of a menaced human asking existential questions with utmost disgust. Until the otherworldly acoustic intro of ‘The Wiseman’ breaks the pattern and is a fascinating interruption before a blistering guitar introduces a massive grooving beast later. Punishing and possessive, that is the right description for ‘The Wizard Of Evil’, which shows the instinctive signs of an old school Death Metal album in its near closure. I though, don’t understand why the final two tracks come as CD bonus tracks only! Nonetheless, the last two numbers, ‘Nomads’ and ‘Alienation Of Insanity’ will leave ears and minds with the sensation that how effectively MASTER has blended old school sensibilities with modern production! The clarity of these tracks allows each instrument and its essential atmosphere to shine forth in superb detail. Yet, it never loses that fanatically raw and foreboding atmosphere throughout the record length. The very thought-provoking artwork speaks profoundly of what awaits inside and is made by Richard Schouten (PENTAGRAM, ACROSTICHON, NAPALM DEATH, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM). Having said these all but probably not enough, MASTER is back on “Saints Dispelled” with pure intent and the best thing to reflect on is, Speckman and Co. haven’t lost none of the sonic magic or musical mastery that helped birth and grow a unique rowdy sound in Death Metak realm. It’s also a textbook example of how to get better with age and should considered one of the year’s essential extreme Metal releases. Undeniably, veterans will find much to savour in the never-ending lure of MASTER, so are the coming age new fans will find it stoutly challenging their neck muscles from start to finish. “Saints Dispelled” is available as digipak CD (with 2 bonus tracks), CD boxset (including the CD, poster and a patch), gatefold LP and limited cassette. To explore more about the band and label, visit www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial and www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords.

The new year of 2024 kicks off with the release of the fifteenth album by the pioneers of Death Metal. “Saint Dispelled” is unveiled under the Hammerheart label, adorned with a very classic Death Metal cover that suits them admirably, adding a touch of sobriety. What can we expect from this album? Ten formidable songs spanning 50 minutes (with two extras included in the CD version) of Death’n’Roll in its purest form. Over the course of approximately 40 years, they have stayed true to their roots, delivering classic American Death Metal infused with a generous dose of Thrash, and even today, hints of Crossover / HC. The unmistakable voice of Paul Speckmann, in my opinion, stands as one of the key influences on John Tardy’s (OBITUARY) vocal style. The production of this album approaches perfection, giving the impression that since their move from Illinois to the Czech Republic, their sound has not only evolved, but also become more compact, if such a thing is possible. It resonates strikingly similar to their preceding album “Vindictive Miscreant”, albeit with an even more refined quality. For those familiar with other MASTER albums, there might not be anything groundbreaking on this one, but what you’ll find are simply better songs. “Saint Dispelled” stands as a remarkable album from the grandfathers of the genre. www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial, www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords

I remember when I first heard “On the Seventh Day”, a friend had passed along a cheap CD with the album on it and I was blown away with what I heard. After nearly 2 decades, Paul Speckmann and Co still manage to dish out some of the best contemporary Death Metal firmly rooted in the history of the genre. “Saints Dispelled” is no different, MASTER is back in the game (not that they’ve ever left!) and it’s such a delight just to play this record from start to finish. This is traditional Death / Thrash from the get go and in all honesty, this isn’t something brand new from the band. However, MASTER keeps it short, sweet, heavy and to the bloody point! I do hope musicians reference this album to know the right point to end a song because MASTER does it masterfully. The album starts off with ‘Destruction In June’ and launches into top gear right away, the guitars pierce through the atmosphere and the drumming is excellent. It never overshadows what’s going on. The vocals are slightly higher in the mix, something I’m not overly fond of but it just works here. The goddamn solo on this song is the highlight, it dances on the rhythm and kicks the song to the next level! Brilliant! We certainly need more grounded solos like this that add another layer to the song, not a fast hands / fast fretwork kind of solos which sound programmed. The solo on the next track ‘Walk In The Footsteps Of Doom’ is exactly similar in spirit, quick, piercing and brilliantly placed in the midst of madness. MASTER has come together to clearly take the year head on with no compromises. I am loving everything I hear on this record and it’s criminal to not have a copy of it in your collection. Every single song on this album has been done to figurative-perfection, or maybe I’m just getting old and long for this kind of Death Metal. As we come down to track # 5, ‘Find Your Life’, the band takes a slightly introspective turn with their lyrics, this is a welcome direction. I genuinely like the ideas that MASTER adds into a 4 minutes song, track # 6, ‘Marred And Diseased’ is a prime example where the band slows down a little and almost gets melodic on their path. This song in particular reminds me of GRAVE and their solos on “Into The Grave”, I love that sound. I know, a lot of fans felt the last two releases were middle of the road and I don’t quite agree with that, I’d love for all fans of Death Metal to give this album a spin and I hope it can centre your opinion about MASTER. Regardless, “Saints Dispelled” should be on your playlist as soon as possible. This is high quality Death / Thrash that you owe to yourself. MASTER is back doing what they do best! For more information, please visit: www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial, www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords

I’ll start this review with some undeniable facts. With 38 years in the underground, Paul Speckmann is a living legend. I had the pleasure to talk to him for some hours when MASTER played down here in 1998. He is the most humble guy ever and a total encyclopedia concerning the scene. MASTER’s proto Death Metal self-titled debut album is considered a classic in extreme music. Since Paul’s move to the Czech Republic in the early 2000’s, MASTER has been steadily releasing albums, (in my humble opinion) some of them better than others. And now, after a six year hiatus, they have released “Saints Dispelled”, their newest studio release, courtesy of Hammerheart Records. And all I can say is that the wait was well worth it. With guitarist Alex “93” Nejezchleba and drummer Peter Bajci, the latest addition to the line-up, the band has crafted a total smasher of an album, well rooted in their early material, adding not only all the MASTER mid-paced brutality, but also some ABOMINATION and DEATH STRIKE brush strokes. The mandatory highlight here is Paul’s vocals. After all these years, his vocals feel re-invigorated. His mid-grunt is as strong as ever, mixed with high pitched screams and deep growls to make things interesting. Riff wise, Alex’s headbaning riffs are not only memorable but also large as life, incorporating both groovy and melodic passages. His guitar tone feels organic, right between modern and vintage. And his tasty leads are savage, yet smart and catchy. Paul’s bass guitar brings in a huge bottom end solidified by Peter’s pounding drums. His double bass drum work is spot on, adding a bunch of interesting breaks and nicely placed cymbal hits. Now, the production is what you would expect from an album released in 2024. Yet, there is this corrosive and rough edge, I dare say there is a certain “carelessness” to it. All in all, the sound fits MASTER’s music perfectly. The mix threw me off a little, since the vocals are taken aback just a tad. But after some more listening, I think I understood the intention to do so. This way Paul can break through when he sees fit volume wise. The drums are also a tad higher (by the way, I really liked the snare sound) for obvious reasons. They need that in your face pounding, especially in the D-Beat / Thrash parts where the kick drums are simply annihilating everything in their path. The mid-range spectrum is absolutely dominated by Alex’s wall of distortion, complemented by the round and gnarly bass sound. Again, the old fart in me feels that the mastering could’ve been a little more dynamic. Yeah, I tend to say that in every other review. But that is something that has bothered me since the so-called “Compression Wars”. Anyway… MASTER has delivered an album that I was not expecting at all. I mean, a song like ‘Nomads’ (CD bonus track) feels like taken straight from their debut album. Now, I am not saying that Paul and Co. are copying themselves. This is MASTER being MASTER. What really surprised me is how brutal yet refreshing “Saints Dispelled” is. This is a monster of an album for old and new fans of the band. It’s skull crushing Death / Thrash like no other band can deliver. Let’s hope Paul, Alex and Peter can keep the ball a-rolling, cause I am already looking forward to the next album. Do yourself a favor and get this. Don’t need to argue. Just go get it. Support the legend at www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial and get their album (again just go get it) from www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords

With “Saints Dispelled” MASTER already presents us their 14th full-length album (their 15th, if we also take the “Unreleased 1985 Album” into account), showcasing us a band that is still going strong after so many years in the industry. As expected, they’ve remained true to their signature sound, allowing fans of Paul Speckmann & Co. to blindly pick it up once again. Some people started to label them the “MOTÖRHEAD of Death Metal”, and in a way that’s not far from the truth, because MASTER isn’t here to reinvent the wheel with each new album. They just deliver what their fans expect from them and that’s raw old school Death / Thrash. The only difference this time is new drummer Peter Bajči, who replaced longtime band member Zdeněk Pradlovský in 2019. But when you listen to “Saints Dispelled” in its entirety, you’ll easily noctice that he has already skillfully integrated into the band’s dynamic and is perfectly contributing to the overall intensity. The album kicks off furiously with the very intense ‘Destruction In June’, which already features all typical MASTER trademarks: fast double bass drumming, a brutal leading guitar riff, mixed with some D-Beat interruptions and on top of it all Paul Speckmann’s hateful, unique vocal delivery, which sounds even more pissed off than ever. The next track, ‘Walk In The Footsteps Of Doom’, was already released as a single prior to the album’s release. It easily maintains the high level with its straightforward, uptempo energy and strong Punk feel to it (just listen to the short bass’n’drums section around the two minutes mark or the leading guitar melody). The very fast title-track ‘Saints Dispelled’ continues the record. The drums are constantly pushing the song forward, the guitar is shredding along and the solo section comes up with a nostalgic, raw vibe, featuring some nice tremolo use. ‘Minds Under Pressure’ starts off very typical again, with lots of double bass drumming, fast riffing and pissed off vocals. The shouted chorus ‘Minds Under Pressure’ and the almost oriental sounding guitar solo close to the end of the song turn it into another standout on the album. ‘Find Your Life’ has an almost happy sounding leading guitar melody, but since it is performed as part of yet another very aggressive MASTER track, it works just perfectly, giving the song an own identity. And the following solo section is probably one of the best on the entire album. ‘Marred And Diseased’ kicks off with a punky drum beat, which gets joined by Paul’s rumbling bass and then turns into another fast forward, heavy MASTER crusher, once more with some D-Beat overtones. Also in this song the solo section is fantastic again. Towards the end, the song all of a sudden gets a lot faster with some very heavy guitar work. ‘The Wiseman’ starts with some acoustic guitar, which plays along to some strange melody until it bursts into full heaviness again. For the chorus the song slows things down a bit and becomes darker and heavier. With its several breaks and changes, ‘The Wiseman’ stands out as one of the most innovative tracks on the album, showcasing the band’s full versatility. ‘The Wizard Of Evil’ is 100% pure fuckin’ MASTER again. Fast, intense and full of aggression. But at around the 4 1/2 minutes mark it turns into some sort of slowed down kind of jam session which fades out and in a few times. If you buy the “Saints Dispelled” CD edition, you’ll get two additional bonus tracks. ‘Nomads’ is the first of them. A typical, yet very strong MASTER track, with a great main riff and solo section and constantly forward pushing drumming. In my humble opionion it shouldn’t have been wasted as a bonus track, since it’s overall a really strong track. The second bonus track (and also the CD closer) is entitled ‘Alienation Of Insanity’, which is the longest song on the album, with an impressive running time of 8:17 minutes. Even though it’s basically a typical MASTER song, you’ll hear a lot of twists and turns in here. It starts as an uptempo track, but then things slow down and it becomes quite atmospheric, heavy and dark. There’s a lot going on in this song and it’s probably the most impressive one, when it comes to the drumming. The heavy and clear production, courtesy of Shaark Studios again, refines “Saints Dispelled” as one of MASTER’s strongest releases for quite a while, worth being picked up by any dedicated fan and newcomers to the band alike. Highly recommended! www.facebook.com/therealmasterofficial, www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords