XENOS A.D. – Reqviem For The Oppressor (Album Review)

A vintage soundtrack fit for a tyrant’s funeral

For those not living under a rock, the resurgence of thrash metal as a force in the underground has been common knowledge for more than 20 years, yet certain bands can’t help but make it seem like a much more recent phenomenon. Spearheading this trend of old remaining new is Sicilian-born trio Xenos A.D., who were slaying the airwaves and the vertebrae of all within earshot since 2019, albeit minus the A.D. until 2023.

Sporting a multifaceted style that encompasses the well-rounded mixture of high speed mayhem and mid-paced muscle with a side order for haunting acoustic balladry that was common in both San Francisco and Great Britain during the late 1980s and the more brutal trappings of the style that came to prominence in the late 2000s, they produce a sound more befitting a 5-piece band, especially insofar as their 3^rd and latest LP Reqviem For The Oppressor is concerned.

In keeping with their small arrangement, this is a band where every member of the fold pulls their weight and functions as an integral part of the resulting whole. Guitarist Giuseppe Taormina, whose extensive work both in and outside of thrash metal includes such notable groups as Crystal Viper and formerly Crimson Wind, lays down a brilliant riff assault topped off with enough flashy detailing and shredding solo moments to orbit both Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick.

Drummer Danilo Ficicchia functions as a key bridge between Xenos A.D.’s stylistic affinities for the ’80s and the present with a varied blend of straight-up brute force, jazzy go-between, and even the occasional blast beat. But the lynchpin that brings the whole thing together is the charismatic persona and bass chops of front man Ignazio Nicastro, who manages to emulate such notable bass masters as Dave Ellefson and D.D. Verni while also growling out the lyrical content resting above the sonic fray.

Though set to a production template that is appropriately large and forbidding by 2025 standards, one can’t help but feel a blast from the past in every individual offering that rounds out this 42-minute kill session. One can’t help but recall the haunting acoustic resound and sense of impending doom that kicked off Sepultura’s Beneath The Remains during the creepy overture of “1986”, though Taormina crafts something that’s a tad more elaborate and leads directly into a pounding electric march set to the same theme for added intensity.

The calendar gets flipped back even further for the first full-on thrash assault in “Dogma Of War”, which channels the battle-torn modernity of Warbringer and recalls the horrific aftermath that rocked Hiroshima in 1945. Other war anthems like “Tears On The Face Of God” and “Children Of The Atomic Sun” cover similar subjects in the lyrical department, though the former mixes in some more haunting classical guitar high-jinks before going for the proverbial jugular while the latter throws in a few progressive elements and sees Taormina tearing up the fret board like it’s going out of style.

Even more impressive than the sheer level of aggression and technical intrigue on display is the careful attention to detail that turns each of these anthems into elaborate stories of shock and awe. The pummeling riff fest “Crown Of Separation” could almost be a lost track from the seminal days of Watchtower in how it seamlessly wheels through contrasting melodic segments and fleeting acoustic interludes while still functioning as a coherent song.

“Welcome The Destroyer” accomplishes the same sense of musical busyness, but relies more on interplay within the 3 principal instruments, as Ficicchia’s ever-expansive drum work regularly trades technical blows with the kinetic guitar work and rapid-fire vocal work. Nevertheless, the epic beast of a title entry “Reqviem For The Oppressor” is where complexity comes to a head, manifesting in the form of how a 2020s thrash revival act might emulate the arguable pinnacle of latter-day thrash metal, namely Megadeth’s “Hangar 18”.

In a day and age where thrash metal is often expressed through a one-dimensional fit of high-speed madness or otherwise relegated to the simplistic mode of attack, the bands that stand out from the pack are the ones that aren’t afraid to mix things up and venture into less explored territory. Reqviem For The Oppressor is such an album that sees thrash as an expansive way of expressing the angst and discontent that was originally embodied in the ’70s punk rock movement, one where intrigue and excellence are not shunned as elitist but embraced as something that everyone can bring to the table after putting in the work.

While still one of the lesser known acts to come out of Italy since said nation became a key player in the 2000s thrash revival, Xenos A.D. has primed themselves for a much larger audience, and those that crave the flashier side of the coin embodied in the likes of Forbidden, Death Angel and several newer bands treading a similar stylistic path would do well to add this to their collection.

Released By: My Kingdom Music
Release Date: May 23rd, 2025
Genre(s): Thrash Metal

Musicians:

• Danilo Ficicchia / Drums
• Ignazio Nicastro / Bass, vocals
• Giuseppe Taormina / Guitars

Reqviem For The Oppressor Track-list:

1. 1986
2. Dogma Of War
3. Tears On The Face Of God
4. Crown Of Separation
5. Welcome The Destroyer
6. Children Of The Atomic Sun
7. The Bleeding Hands Of Faith
8. Reqviem For The Oppressor
9. Dance Of The Gods

Order Reqviem For The Oppressor here.