A lot has changed in the ten years since Cobolt 60 first planted an early flag for Norwegian black thrash with 2002’s Meat Hook Ballet. Now that the duo have finally returned with their sophomore effort, The Grim Defiance, they have to fight their way through a throng of daunting competition from countrymen like Aura Noir, Nekromantheon, Audiopain and the like. Their secret weapon? Black thrash heavy on the black.

In fact, much of The Grim Defiance is high octane traditional black metal. The thrash elements crop up in stretches of some songs, while others, like “Hammer of the Creationist,” are a thorough integration of the two genres. The balance and convergence of the two styles helps distinguish The Grim Defiance from its peers. It also allows for a respectable range of tempo and mood, from midtempo chug to grim black metal blasts and grimy, wrist cramping thrash. The album has a relatively clean production that has a bit more polish than usual for the genre but still conveys the sneering malevolence intrinsic to the style.

The best thing that came out of the recent thrash fad had nothing to do with the bands that participated in the movement. Rather, it was the fact that the edges of that spotlight partially illuminated the bands that ignored the trend in favor of a darker path. Cobolt 60 have re-established themselves amongst that rank, and The Grim Defiance is a solid pick-up for any fan of Norwegian thrashing black metal.

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