Band:	Warfield
Album:	With The Old Breed
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	April 04, 2025
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Melting Mass
02. Appetitive Aggression
03. Soul Conqueror
04. Fragmentation
05. Lament Of The White Realm
06. Tie The Rope
07. Inhibition Atrophy
08. Dogs For Defense
09. GASP
10. With The Old Breed

Wearing their influences on their battle jackets.

German-made is a label that is often synonymous with quality, be it German beer, cars or power trios; all of them are held in high regard, and for good reason. The latest piece of evidence for submission is the new release from thrashers Warfield, a trio who certainly don't rush out releases, as With The Old Breed marks their second full-length release in a thirteen-year-long career. While the band haven't reinvented the genre, they have produced an enjoyable, if somewhat run-of-the-mill release, in With The Old Breed.

With the shadow of the Teutonic big four looming large over the German thrash scene, it is understandable why so many bands struggle to find a way to shine or stick out; some of it is self-inflicted, due to the inability to inject enough personality into their work, whereas others due to the sheer inability to be heard. With The Old Breed shows glimpses of the band finding their own individual sound, and how they can stick out from the field, though Warfield are not yet the finished article.

There is little wrong with learning from the best, and the homage to Sodom runs deep within With The Old Breed, from Clemens' vocal style tracing Angelripper's to a near carbon copy on tracks like "Lament Of The White Realm", to Marx's drumming patterns being heavily indebted to Dudek's work with the aforementioned godfathers of Teutonic thrash. Thankfully, while the band do use this influence as a template, Warfield do deviate from Sodom's sonic formula and put their own personality and style into their music. This often comes in the form of throwing in groove sections or unconventional solos in songs like "Soul Conquerer" and "Inhibition Atrophy", which catch the ear, not only for their quality, but for how they differ from the norm. When the band do step out of their comfort zone, it is then that they hit their stride, with the epic "GASP" sounding as if they are truly finding their own feet and extricating themselves from their influences fully, and it's all the better for it.

With that said, cuts like "Dogs For Defence" have a stomping rhythm that will get stuck in your head as you can't help but headbang along to it, while "Fragmentation" provides the kind of adrenaline rush that makes you want to hit the repeat button. The jewel in the crown is the aforementioned "GASP", a slow-burning epic that sets the scene perfectly and nails the soundtrack.

Between not fully extricating themselves from their influences and inconsistent quality, With The Old Breed marks Warfield's growth and potential, but that potential has yet to be fully realised. If the band can use this as a stepping stone, then the future is bright.