Label: L’Inphantile Collective
Date: August 13th, 2022
The last in line (thus far) release by the last in line metal giant from Czech Republic is upon me. Weirdly enough, I had to go see them live to realize this release was even a thing. What’s more, I didn’t know it was so recent. Imagine my surprise, especially since Mr. Tomáš Skořepa, the frontman of this quartet, is usually the first to inform me about the recent tidings in his commando. I’ve even presented the demo take of a single the band published a few months ago, but I was still ignorant of this release’s existence.
Anyway… It was a massive pleasure finally meeting Mr. Skořepa in person. I’ve taken the opportunity of filling up on my Exorcizphobia collection, among which you can now count this CD, too. Naturally, seeing the band perform was an ounce short of a coronary distress. Such was the power on display in my home town that evening. A hint of it I took home with me on “Live at 007”.
I wouldn’t want to waste too much time on presenting the band. You can use this same website to browse for a couple of reviews concerning Exorcizphobia. Enough to say they are a much needed adrenaline injection into a genre that’s flogging a dead horse for a while now. Even if you’re counting the most famous representatives.
Performing US kind of thrash metal, with traces of crossover, but with an abundance of fresh ideas and a still unexhausted energy supply, Exorcizphobia is a force to be reckoned. Their most successful effort to date, titled “Digitotality”, had an unfortunate destiny to be published at the first wave of Covid-19 infections and was therefore impossible to promote it as it absolutely deserves. And what a shocker that record was (and still is)!
However, the first chance these guys had, they brought the album on stage. In Prague this time, at 007 club. Six tracks of the album’s eight found their way into the set-list for the evening. Three more are from the EP “Friend of Lunacy” that came out a few months before the show in question. Both of these releases’ reviews you can find on Abaddon Magazine. Remaining two tracks, closing the performance, were published back in 2012 on the band’s debut album “Something Is Wrong”. In all, a forty seven minutes long metal thrashing mad…
… Aside of the crowd being either not recorded properly or pretty inactive. The later seeming an impossibility to me, I believe there was just no proper microphone to pick up on the fuller reaction. Besides that detail, Exorcizphobia blazes through the set like a bonfire in the darkest night. Seeing how “Digitotality” and the ensuing EP are the current pinnacles of their creation, “Live at 007” is basically a “best of” selection of songs. That being said, there could be no mistake about the utter explosion of unrelenting strength and power that takes no breaks nor does it take prisoners. It’s just a matter of pushing the play button and the rest will come naturally.
Or better yet, look if there’s an Exorcizphobia powerhouse about to hit the area near you. If not, contact the band and make it happen yourself. It’ll be worth it, I promise.
