From the depths of Tokyo’s metal underground rises VERDALACK, a five-headed beast forged in speed, filth, and fury. Emerging from the ashes of thrash outfit Assault Attack, this Japanese unit now fully embraces the breakneck intensity of classic speed metal, channeling the unhinged energy of Exciter, early Megadeth, and the raw spirit of Japanese hardcore. Their debut full-length, Force From the Grave, delivers eight tracks of relentless sonic warfare—equal parts precision and chaos, melody and mayhem.

As Assault Attack, the trio played thrash metal until disbanding in 2018. Under the direction of Vortex, the band restarted in 2022 and changed their moniker to VERDALACK and stylistically converted to speed metal. 

Release date: 25 July 2025

Review

Axehead: Without hesitation, a rapid gallop of chords and a deep, crushing scream ignite the fire. The song unfolds with fast drumming and a rhythm structure rooted in speed metal, very reminiscent of early Helloween, or for the more seasoned ears, Exciter or Razor, with fast chromatic riffs. Villain’s vocals are drenched in reverb and echo layers, giving them an undead modulation often heard in 80s thrash. The percussion follows suit, with a raw, reverberated darkness.

Heretic Flights: Relentless percussive speed dominates, with alternating snare and kick attacks and a hi-hat running at full throttle. The guitar switches between rapid-fire chords and one-string palm-muted bursts. There’s a nice use of twin lead guitars, one panned left and one right—a trick straight out of NWOBHM’s golden era—culminating in harmonized leads courtesy of Vandal and Vortex, the six-string overlords.

Desecrater: The Japanese maniacs opt for murderous speed, with pounding drums front and center in the mix, and razor-sharp riffs flirting dangerously with early Megadeth or even Venom. The solos lean more on flashy intensity than refined technique. Bassist Void (did you notice every member’s name starts with V?) sticks close to the rhythm guitars, playing a low-end support role with little prominence. This becomes a recurring feature throughout the record.

Blood Eagle: Verdalack’s steamroller flattens any sense of subtlety, charging headfirst with sonic velocity and knife-edge aggression. The intro drums feel ripped straight from Show No Mercy–era Slayer, only to be crushed by rapid-fire chords and machine-gun-like riffing. Villain’s vocal phrasing is quick, hardcore-inspired, and delivered with raspy, aggressive tones. The closing rhythm settles into semi-galloping figures and atmospheric high-note textures.

Final Assault: This track sticks to the same template—short intro, verse, bridge, chorus. The formula is simple and effective, but here lies the Achilles’ heel: the raw, riff-heavy approach begins to wear thin. The album’s high-speed songs hover around three and a half minutes, and though that’s part of Verdalack’s strength, it results in a conceptual sameness that makes it hard to distinguish one track from the next. The highlight here is the ending: a killer high-pitched scream, melodic guitars, and a drum barrage packed with fills and rolls.

Force From the Grave: A slow, epic intro followed by dissonant patterns is quickly demolished by pummeling speed—galloping palm mutes, chromatic power chords, and relentless aggression. This is the album’s most versatile piece, featuring tempo shifts, dynamic breaks, and clever use of galloping cymbals that add flavor to the undead fury. Easily one of the best-written and most impactful tracks of the whole record, showcasing a higher level of technicality and structure.

Into the Flames: A solo kicks things off, followed by a few breaks, before launching into full-speed destruction. The song is powerful and energetic but sadly sticks too close to the formula established on earlier tracks. While it features fast drum fills and deep-to-high-pitched screams, it ultimately doesn’t stand out from the rest.

Rites of Hell: A killer intro riff—spiraling, fast, and pure speed metal—feels like a high-speed collision between Tornado of Souls and Hit the Lights. The track carries Verdalack’s unmistakable stamp, especially in the cavernous, echo-soaked vocals. However, it still lacks a distinct identity to set it apart from similar works we’ve already heard.

Conclusion

Force From the Grave is a statement of speed, rawness, and allegiance to the most primal side of speed/thrash metal. Verdalack unleashes unrelenting fury with no room for subtlety. With audible influences from Slayer, Exciter, Megadeth, and Venom, the album builds its sound on chromatic riffs, pounding drums, and echo-drenched vocals that rise from the crypt. While the band delivers a tight and coherent atmosphere, the lack of structural variety and heavy repetition between songs ultimately dulls its impact. It’s a record that impresses with its execution and attitude but still falls short of carving out a unique sonic identity in the genre.

TheNwothm Score: 7/10

Members:

Void-Bass

Vigor- Drums

Vandal- Guitars

Vortex -Guitars

Villain -Vocals

Links

Bandcamp:https://verdalack.bandcamp.com/album/rites-of-hell

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/verdalack_speedmetalforces/

Label:Hells Headbangers Records