Sidewinder – March of the Eternal Heretic

Raw metal sounds spewing out of Leeds UK. A crossover throwback. Think golden age of thrash/punk/metal sounds, think Slayer Haunting the Chapel era screeching hellfire conjuring guitar wails, Exodus, Testament, Cro Mags, influenced and reminiscent of Suicidal Tendencies, the godfathers of crossover bleeding through your speakers.

New York hardcore fans will be right at home slamming to this 4-song metal beast. Mosh worthy music pulses from your speakers from the first note to the last. Raw, intense, heavy and pure fury.

If there were one sub-genre of metal Americans owned, thrash. This one changes the script. The English quintet, only going by single names, adds some mystery to who these metal maniacs are. Damo, vocals – Ginner and Jonesy, guitar – Finch, bass guitar, and Gaz, drums, show their thrashing chops.

Twin guitars pound and pulse your ears. Pumping bass bottom end smashes in unison with a heart thumping drum attack. After multiple listens, reminds me of the golden age of thrash. This isn’t 1985 anymore.

It is easy to close my eyes and feel the stage lights washing over the madhouse crowd. Bodies stomping, moshing and flailing, human generated steam rising in the dank humid airs in a small club. Yeah, I was there for some of the legends. Sidewinder is right there with the thrash masters.

For the new breed of metalheads, don’t miss out on Sidewinder if they play your town. The 4-song set is thematic. A future dystopian soundtrack. Thinking this is just right for a long form animated music video playing out the backstory the band conjured up. Sidewinder describes their music set:

“Somewhere between Leeds and the end of the universe there’s a gas masked warrior bedecked in spikes and bullets. Beneath a burning sky he’s facing down a legion of undead scum, skeletons infused with some kind of toxic nuclear power, armed with every damn thing they can find – from guns to sticks, barbed wire to billhooks – and for some reason they think they stand a chance. The warrior checks his double-barrelled laser and death belching sidearms, adjusts the gas mask and pushes the wireless earphones deep into his ear canals…”

Reminds me of Rogue Warrior from the 1980/90’s comic series or the notorious Judge Dread popularized in film. Both, British comic series. Coincidence or inspiration?

March of the Eternal Heretic clocks in at 16:30. Listen twice through in the same time it takes to watch a mind numbing tv program. After multiple plays, the songs get better each listen.

No video or streaming music is available yet on Youtube. Here’s a song, “Franchise Terror”, from their debut War Tapes Vol. 1, released in 2023.