Ardityon – Trenchslayer

Released on February 28 last year through Underground Symphony, Trenchslayer is the second full-length album by Italian heavy/power metal band Ardityon. On this sophomore 10-track opus, the band continues down the path forged on their self-titled debut, Ardityon, which was originally issued as an EP in 2019 and later reissued as a remastered edition.

The album delivers a combination of traditional heavy and power metal, spiced with elements of thrash metal. The production sounds bombastic, yet maintains an old-school, raw approach. The songwriting varies dynamically from track to track while maintaining a cohesive, high-energy underground metal pulse. Most of the ten tracks feature deep, distorted basslines paired with raw thrash metal guitar stabs, cold industrial synths, and fast, relentless drums. This is topped off by a powerful performance from the band’s lead vocalist, Valeriano de Zordo, whose voice drives the album’s dark, direct, and aggressive melodies.

If I am to pick a couple of favorites from Trenchslayer, I would go with the opening track, “Subhuman World,” and the title track. While “Subhuman World” functions as the listener’s introduction to the record—strategically designed to showcase the band’s core musical identity immediately—the title track is the purest distillation of the band’s NWOBHM and classic Euro-power influences, echoing names like Accept, Iron Maiden, Helloween, Primal Fear, and Sabaton. In other words, this 42-minute record delivers a phenomenal blend of high-octane energy, massive hooks, and pure heavy metal attitude.

The album’s striking cover artwork embraces a dark, aggressive tone that mirrors the band’s traditional heavy/speed metal orthodoxy. Furthermore, it blends gritty dark fantasy with old-school thrash/speed metal aesthetics, reminiscent of vintage Megadeth imagery.
In summary, do not expect a groundbreaking or genre-redefining moment from Trenchslayer. However, if your metal heart beats for the golden era of traditional heavy and classic power metal, Italy’s Ardityon is a mandatory addition to your playlist.