After a 16-year silence, Canadian thrash metal legends Sacrifice return with Volume Six — a blistering, full-force LP recorded at Toronto’s legendary Phase One Studios.
Considered as one of Canada’s ‘Big 4’ including the likes of Voivod, Razor and Annihilator, the band established their presence back in the 1980’s with their debut album ‘Torment in Fire’. If you’ve ever wondered what Municipal Waste, Insanity Alert, and Iron Reagan would sound like filtered through the frozen fury of the Great White North, this is your answer. Rooted deep in crossover thrash, Volume Six is soaked in old-school aggression, with nods to the likes of Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I., and with some elements of Napalm Death.
The opening track, “Incoming Mass Extinction,” wastes no time — a relentless barrage of riffs and chaos, only pausing for a breakdown laced with a flanged-out guitar trip that screams classic thrash theatrics.
The standout shredfest “Missile” hits with Megadeth-level precision, channeling the spirit of Hangar 18 with power riffs sharp enough to shave steel. Guitarists clearly came to play, and they do not disappoint.
Vocally, the album doesn’t falter for a second. Raw, vicious, and perfectly suited to the genre, every scream and growl lands with purpose. “Underneath Millenia” shows off tight, heavy-hitting drums — think 13 Steps to Nowhere-era Pantera — and caps things off with a solo that might be one of the band’s best.
“Black Hashish,” however, is the curveball. Slower, brooding, and drenched in mystique, it feels like a hazy desert journey into madness. Maybe it’s a hash trip? Who knows — but the vibe is real.
And yes, song titles like “Antidote of Poison,” “Explode,” and “We Will Not Survive” make you wonder if the band needs a hug. (But hey, hugs aren’t very metal.)
The album even throws in a nod to their roots with a cover of Direct Action’s “Trapped In A World.”
Volume Six isn’t just a comeback — it’s a reminder that Sacrifice still shreds with the best of them; past, present or future, they have a place in the crossover thrash genre.