Cyclone – Known Unto God

Legendary Belgian thrashers Cyclone reformed, after 35 years long hiatus, releasing their first new music in a form of a five-tracker EP. For those of you unfamiliar with Cyclone, I can tell that their roots go way back to 1981, originally under the name of Centurion. After a long hiatus, the band decided to reform in 2018. The physical result of their comeback is finally available through High Roller Records. In other words; in early 2026, Known Unto God, featuring original vocalist Guido Gevels with a new line-up, got released.

Known Unto God is five tracks, 20 minutes of a total thrash destruction! The running order is; “Eliminate”, “Known Unto God”, “I Fear Myself”, “Nothing Is Real” and “The Truth Lies”. On this comeback EP, these now five gentlemen; Guido Gevels (vocals), Maxime Deschamps (guitars), Jesse Van Den Bossche (guitars), Vincent Heyman (bass) & Gabriel Deschamps (drums), deliver high-intensity and modern thrash metal, something one wouldn’t necessarily expect from an old-school Bay Area thrash act like Cyclone!? Guido delivers some high-intense, high-pitched talking/screaming vocals, reminiscent of his classic work on Brutal Destruction debut from 1986 or 1990s follower, Inferior To None.

A clear standout track for me is a fast and furious opener called “Eliminate” (watch the official lyric video below). It’s packed with tremolo riffs, sophisticated transitions, fast drumming and hateful yelling & screaming vocals. This track is a decent representative of the band’s sound; a Bay Area thrash similar to the likes of Exodus or Forbidden. The title track, “Known Unto God” offers a heavier and thicker sound, featuring a mid-tempo groove, yet being concise while avoiding unnecessary riffs. Then follows “I Fear Myself”, another high-adrenaline standout track. “Nothing is Real” is probably the most diverse track from the EP, a mid-tempo dark song, influenced by early 80s NWOBHM. EP closes with “The Truth Lies” – a fast-paced, strong and ferocious cut, featuring intense vocal performance.

Known Unto God is produced with a punchy, clean yet aggressive sound, where the vocal and drum production, along with mix and mastering, was handled by Martin Furia (Destruction, Nervosa, Evil Invaders). The artwork for Known Unto God is courtesy of Ivan S. Bragin (October Tide, The Gathering).

After three spins of Known Unto God, I’m absolutely stoked for a full-length now. Highly recommended for fans of Exodus, Kreator, Forbidden, Destruction, Angel Witch, Suicidal Tendencies, Mandator, Blessed Death etc. For further information on this twenty minutes long straightforward, fierce and tight Bay-Area style EP, from one of the most popular European thrash bands of the 80s visit their bandcamp.