Byfist is one of those underground bands that all true thrash fans need to hear about. Hardcore Metal Church fans will recognize the name as the late David Wayne helped to produce one of their Eps. Preserving the Past does just that, it details the progress of the band from 1987 up to 2006. The liner notes include all members on the CD (with the main being Davey Lee, Nacho Vera, and Jesse Vara) as well as photos from the band throughout these different stages. The minor flaw is that I would have liked to see some chronological order to the track list, yet the songs are scattered.

The music itself reminds me of bands such as Testament and old Anthrax. They have an upbeat arrangement with many high screams for those that enjoy (and yes, I happen to be one that loves them). Each singer has pipes for the job, as the band pulls off each song with easy and authority. My favorite track on the album has to be “Meltdown” with the new track “Guaranteed Death” coming in second. For these recording being over 20 years old, I must say they did a great job making them sound good. In fact, many times it’s hard to cite a difference between the different time periods. What can I say bad about the old school power metal? Head bang and horns up!

Reviewed by QMII

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