Metal Underground.com

Zombie Fighter’s outright aping of Skeletonwitch, right down to the blood-chilling rasp Chance Garnette has made his vocal trademark, would earn them a smarting wrist slap from most American metal fans were it not for their musical mastery, put into perspective by their fragile youth. Upstart bands a mere two years old are not supposed to sound this tight or catchy when playing high-speed melodic thrash, and yet “Run For Your Life” sees these New Hampshire kids in complete command of their instruments and naturally gifted with the art of riffs and hooks (courtesy of guitarists Will Abdelnour and Nick Timney).

On the one hand, the Skeletonwitch influence cannot be overstated. Each of these four tracks would fit snugly onto “Forever Abomination” without leaving anyone the wiser. But that’s not a very fair criticism of a new band still on the milk of its inspiration, and here’s the other hand: Zombie Fighter rises to the challenge and equals the caliber of Skeletonwitch. These are not throwaway cuts; there’s some serious meat in here. “Carnivore” is the finest track, with a genuinely memorable lead riff and soloing, spot-on harmonizing, and a natural ebb and flow of tempo, all underpinned by Justin Elbourn’s distinct and audible bass lines. Much of the same goes for the rest, particularly the galloping “Skull Fucker,” (I’d love to see that put to music video) which contains rhythm guitars sharp enough to use in open-heart surgery and a nifty midpoint break that lets drummer Graham Fortier shine – just enough to remind you he’s there. This speaks to the smoothness of the performances, in which everyone plays and sings at full tilt without blowing his wad in a fit of show-offy histrionics.

“Run For Your Life” was produced to crisp precision by Brian Westbrook, drummer of Western Massachusetts favorite Lich King. And while derivative, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable listen that signals vast potential for future recordings, when Zombie Fighter hopefully comes into its own. For now, fans of the aforementioned Skeletonwitch, classic black/thrash in the Sodom vein, or any blend of aggression and melody could do worse than check them out.