Bleeding out the affected introversion of the under-fire psyche by force Trutnov, Czechia-based thrash metal quartet EXORCIZPHOBIA seek to divulge personal existential struggle through modern day dystopic function on this accomplished fifth full-length album. A fusion of late 80’s and 90’s built traditions at a modern standard ‘Neurosis Unbound‘ brings surprisingly broad ouevre to the neothrash format wherein hardcore punk and even alt-rock are deployed to convey the gamut intended. Though it breaches the pale of my old-dead taste in the thrash metal sphere their charismatic, well-polished and varietal work on this album is difficult to deny.

The artist currently known as Exorcizphobia formed circa 2005, initially a covers crew ’til changing their name and directive unto a neothrash design less than a year later. Pulling from an interest in commercial thrash, crossover and such they’d evolve into greater interest with each release having birthed four full-lengths beyond the late 2000’s. Though I’d given brief mention of their 2020 release it would be their fourth LP (‘Spiritual Exodus‘, 2023) that’d prompted comprehensive review on my end, a mostly favorable result where I’d praised their high energy personae and tunefulness while balancing the merits of their handle upon both ‘old school’ and neo-thrash virtues. They’d “[…] come dangerously close to reaching both the energy and the profundity of the late 80’s brains-engaged level of classic thrash.” and this observation carries over to their refined vision here on album number five.

Per the title’s own suggestion ‘Neurosis Unbound‘ intends to venture into darker introspection, a struggle through existential dread addressed subject-for-subject while Exorcizphobia continue to foster some of the alt-rock inspired turns taken via early 90’s ex-thrasher scenery. The latter note shouldn’t be too troublesome as it only crops up on ~two songs and despite the cover artwork by Michel “Away” Langevin they don’t sound like ‘Angel Rat‘ per se. Longtime fans can expect a follow-up to the style and tone of ‘Spiritual Exodus‘ but not a direct siphon of it as we find on album opener “True Lie”, a piece which sounds like it could’ve been ripped from a late 80’s Stone album per its juiced-up production values, the soar of guitarist/vocalist Tomáš Skořepa‘s choruses, and aggressive wide-striding Bay Area inspired stance.

Production values loudly enforce a modern thrash metal standard here, righteously pushing lucid tank-heavy bass guitar tones and higher chaired drum presence both of which reinforce the confrontational push of the main rhythm guitar thread and Skořepa‘s place at the pulpit. The press through the opener and the chunkier flexing of “Hell in Veins” puts that tonal heave through its own pressure test as the ranting vocal lines and faster paced double-bass pummeled step retain pro-level harmony in practicum. Likewise one of the best leads on the album around ~2:17 minutes into the piece not only plays well on the Exodus-like refrain underneath but shows some restraint beyond some of the wah-stamping moments found on the previous LP. The first impression is big, loud and rooted in a clear classic thrash ideation given to modern gloss.

Heading into ‘Neurosis Unbound‘ scanning the cover art and hearing the preview of the title track “Neurosis Unbound” had me wondering if we were getting something avant-garde/progressive from this album, the Voivod-meets-California/NJ extraction one’d find in the late 80’s ah via Equinox (Norway) or Doom (Japan) per their earliest releases but the whole of the album generally avoids that style. Instead we get a variety of odd choices made throughout be it the hardcore punk/crossover ride on “Addicted” (also: “Cold”), a thrash-era hard rock ballad in “Magical Formula” and the “Planet Caravan”-esque closer “Growing Back Home”. If we throw in the weirding groove of “Pain Monopoly” about half of this latest Exorcizphobia record is spent venturing away from standard throwback thrasher fare, bold moves considering the creative straits that moderne thrash otherwise leads with anymore. It is a sound longtime fans of bands like Gladiator (Slovakia) might appreciate just as well as everything from Municipal Waste and Evil Dead.

Much as I appreciate the ground covered on ‘Neurosis Unbound‘ as well as the vibrancy of Exorcizphobia‘s broadening ouevre they often veer into territory I’m generally not interested in, at least not in the context of crossover/thrash metal. While that’ll naturally end up limiting the legs of the album for my own taste I’d still appreciated the self-divulging character, high proficiency, and level of personality expressed within what is yet generally neothrash with some punk and hard rock influences. The appeal here then becomes less the sub-genre specificity or traditions of thrash and moreso the ride provided, the high entertainment value offered and in that sense this one is worth ducking into if so inclined. A moderately high recommendation.

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