Another decade has passed since the release of The Ones I Condemn, so when it was announced Sacrifice was working on new material, everyone was in a tizzy, myself included. With this being album number six, the big question is whether they would pick up where they left off. I think it’s a fair question to ask at this stage, but I’m proud to say this record rips hard and proves without a doubt these Canadian thrashers still have it.

The original gang is back, convening for multiple recording sessions between September 2023 and May 2024 to lay down eleven killer tracks. Guitarist and vocalist Rob Urbaniti stated he’s constantly writing songs and was fresh into it before the pandemic hit, derailing the creative process. With his creative spirit tapped out, the band went into a short period of inactivity, but that’s all changed now with the release of Volume Six.

The album is a snappy affair, rife with that raucous attitude and musical ferocity we have all come to love with Sacrifice. One spin in, and my ears continue to reverberate, tearing my head off in the process. The opening track, ‘Comatose’, is a true ripper and straight to the point, going for the jugular vein right from the get-go. When the second track, ‘The Antidote Of Poison’, erupts, the chugs tag along to the high-speed riffing and its relentless sound. Rob’s vocals remain shrill and venomous, and it doesn’t feel like he’s missed a beat so many years into this.

By the time I got to ‘Missile’ I think I blew my load. The track is an addictive head-snapper, continuing to bring hyper-aggressive thrash chugs in spades. What amazes me is the highly-energetic levels of ferocity on each track, never waning in the process. Keep in mind we are only three songs in, and I feel myself hyperventilating on the adrenaline rush alone. The next big surprise comes in the first forty seconds of ‘Underneath The Millennia’ with its crushing and cascading tones of melodic mayhem filling my eardrums. Rob’s vocals kick in, and I swear he’s channelling Chuck Shuldiner during the Spiritual Healing era of Death. Along with the blistering guitars, this is a solid drum track from Gus Pynn.

Track five is an assault on the ears. The riffs on ‘Your Hunger For War’ are hugely filled with dynamite and it’s a banger from start to finish. I like how the boys pack in the heavy riffing on ‘Incoming Mass Extinction’ and bring you nihilistic lyrics about the end of all things. If you want a break from all this insanity, let the next track, ‘Lunar Eclipse’, immerse you and take you on a melodic instrumental ride featuring twin leads from Urbinati and Rico. The song is a sprawling duel of ominous tones, but it’s so short yet remains potent at the same time.

We return to the crushing proceedings of ‘Explode’ which is guaranteed to become a moshpit favourite. Joe Rico’s leads will have you salivating for more and get your fists pumping. Then we come to the longest and arguably the most ambitious track in the band’s discography. ‘Black Hashish’ ebbs and flows with its tempo changes, almost falling into doom metal territory at times, but runs the gamut of dark chugs and controlled nastiness. I get some early Slayer vibes, but this remains a vital piece on this record.

Technically, the album should end here with ‘We Will Not Survive’, another short banger that compliments the opening track of ‘Comatose’. This is a compact thrasher that culminates in a satisfying galloping chug starting two minutes in. It got my ears perked right up, and it rips just as hard as it did at the start of the album. However, the closing track is a cover of ‘Trapped In A World’ from an old Toronto punk band called Direct Action. The song is sung by Brian Taylor, a staple of the Canadian music scene who worked at the long-closed Record Peddler (a renowned Toronto record shop) and owner of the record label Diabolic Force back in the 80s. Brian was instrumental in helping many young Toronto area thrash bands record demos, including producing the first three Sacrifice albums. It’s not a bad song, and I totally get why he was invited back into the fold for this recording; however, as it relates to my tastes, it feels like a tacked on song. I’m a big proponent of thrash albums having strong opening and closing numbers, but I feel ‘Trapped In A World’ is a bit out of place.

Ultimately, this is just a small hiccup for me, personally. Otherwise, Volume Six is one hell of a record. It takes the unbridled ferociousness of The Ones I Condemn and restrains it a bit to filter in the melodic parts of Soldiers Of Misfortune. Maybe it’s just a sign of maturity, but I rather like how this new recording pays homage to past efforts. It’s looking like 2025 will be a good year for Sacrifice. I know they have shows planned throughout the year, so catch them live if you can. In the meantime, pick up Volume Six; you won’t be disappointed.