Band:	Old
Album:	Down With The Nails
Style:	Blackened thrash metal
Release date:	2006
A review by:	Jeff

01. Black Jewel Throne
02. Blood Skull
03. Lust In Red
04. Under The Sign Of Death
05. Empire In Flames
06. A Knife
07. Triumph Of Hell
08. Scream For Hell
09. Down With The Nails

Nowadays, Peaceville Records releases a lot of Black Metal releases under its subdivision Tyrant Syndicate. But the particularity of those bands is that a lot of them don't really play a pure classic Black Metal but a mix between old school Black and Thrash Metal. After Aura Noir then, it's now the time to talk about the German combo Old that will release this year its first album, "Down With The Nails".

I suppose that you've already understood that "Down With The Nails" is a new release of Black/Thrash Metal. Like their label partner Aura Noir, Old plays a really cool and catchy mix of Black and Thrash Metal. The spirit of this kind of music is cool, because first at least it's not really cliché like a lot of others "basic" Black Metal combos, but also because this kind of music is always really catchy. The album is maybe a bit short (with only 34 minutes) but the songs work in general.

However I have to admit that if the last Aura Noir was full of surprises and full of great catchy songs, "Down With The Nails" is a bit more average and I didn't find a lot of amazing songs except maybe the first one, "Black Jewel Throne". There is always the same structure, with basic aggressive rock riffs, with fast "punk" tempo and hoarsy vocals and evidently, if you like this kind of Black Metal, nothing will be missing but I don't know? this album is a bit repetitive at the end and I think that it can become a bit boring.

Old is a good band and "Down With The Nails" is not a bad album but it just lacks of originality and variations between each songs. It's a good release if you like this kind of Black Metal but on the other hand I really hope that the band will know how to put some more personality in their future releases. In that case it should work but unfortunately if they're not able to do something a bit more deep in the future, it will be hard for Old to find a big fan base. Recommended for fans of Black/Thrash fans who will have to remember that it is just a first album!