(Massacre Records)
Total Time: 52:22

HATRIOTwas the side project of Steve “Zetro” Souza fromEXODUSand his sons Cody (who handled bass duties) and Nick (who manned the kit). “From Days Unto Darkness” is HATRIOT’s third full length album, with the difference that in this record responsible for the vocals is Cody. As we all know Steve is back in EXODUS.

So how well do the Souza boys carry on without their esteemed father? Let’s see…

The album containts 9 classic American Thrash Metal songs with a production and sound similar to the latest albums of EXODUS. The band has genuine talent and ability but sadly, they find ways to undercut their efforts. Some songs have riffs or ideas that are used to beat you to death, and other times there are mediocre songs with ideas and riffs that we have heard before from great bands of the genre. An average of more than 5 and a half minutes per song is too much for a Thrash record, and the result is that the songs are getting tiring. In Thrash Metal (more than any other genre), less is much more, and this band should have known that… As for the vocals, Cody is trying to sound exactly like his father, to a point that when I heard the album for the first time (without having information about the lineup changes) I thought that Steve “Zetro” Souza was singing! It would be better for Cody to develop a more personal style…

“From Days Unto Darkness” is a decent Thrash Metal album. Nothing more. Outing from a clearly talented crew thatneeds to develop it more. I hope this squad stays together because they have the potentials to release something seriously dangerous!Die hard fans of EXODUS should definitely check this out!

Rating: 5,5/10

Nikos Manousis