As the world awaits the next assault from the Brazilian death squad known as KRISIUN, the band offers up Bloodshed to tide the fans over. While not a true full-length, the band still offers up a generous EP with five new tracks, three interludes, and four tracks from their long out of print Unmerciful Order EP. KRISIUN has long been known for playing at ridiculously fast, over-the top speeds. But on Bloodshed the band chose to explore different grooves, dissonant chords, and different tempo variations with some of their slowest sections to date. But fear not, this is still KRISIUN and there are still plenty of face-melting solos from lead shredder Moyses Kolesne as well as plenty of machinegun like blasts from drummer Max Kolesne. It’s not that the band has forgotten their past, they have fused it with new ideas and explorations which help embellish the band’s more furious moments. Take “Ominous,” which starts off with some thrash-metal riffage that evolves into a blast fest, breaks in to some tribal drumming before going full-throttle and back again. There’s “Hateful Nature” which alternates from blinding speed to crushing half-time breakdowns. It offers a metal fan a chance to headbang instead of being overwhelmed by a tornado of riffs flying over their head. Interludes, “Eons” and “MMIV,” both offer eerie overtones and another side to Moyses’ playing; either of which could be great fun or the worst nightmare for all you PCP or Marijuana enthusiasts out there. But it’s “Voodoo” that strikes the most sinister vibe and inventive approach of the three as Max’s tribal drumming really pushes the song, invoking an evil answer to SEPULTURA’s “Kaiowas.” The odd and unfortunate thing about the inclusion of the Unmerciful Order tracks is that the EP is not included in its entirety. Despite the somewhat muddy, raw sound, the band’s intensity is still felt after all these years as vocalist/ bassist Alex Camargo invokes the legions of hell with his furious battle cries and grinding bass. Bloodshed is a must have for any KRISIUN fan as it offers a little something for all fans, new and old. In a day and age where most bands of numerous genres choose to use Pro-Tools and various technologies to cover up their limitations, KRISIUN chose an old-school approach to the recording, as all the new material was done in analog, and a result they truly deliver the goods. I look forward to their next onslaught. (Century Media Records)