THE BEAST

11/13/2020
For Immediate Release:

Thwart Signs Worldwide Deal with Extreme Management Group
Extreme Management Group (EMG), home to bands like Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, Rings of Saturn, and more, has announced their partnership with German melodic-thrash metal band Thwart.
THWART began their journey with career expectations aiming to fill a niche in female-fronted melodic thrash metal and share their passion for extreme music with metal fans all around the world. THWART trades in modern metal with a distinct thrash-death character that nonetheless stays on the melodic side without leaving one of the most important aspects of their music in general behind - the groove. Despite their short history in the industry, THWART managed to build a fan base from various nations across continents, including Germany as the start point, the USA and also Far East, as THWART’s passion, energy and love for music can be felt even at the first encounter with their music. 

Metal Hammer reviewed the band’s debut album “Once Human” describing its sound as “between the chairs of symphonic metal bands like Epica or classic modern thrash bands, thus achieving a kind of consensus sound between those poles.”, which indicates THWART’s whereabouts among metal subgenres. Legacy also mentioned in their review that “they have probably discovered something like a gap in the market” emphasizing the originality of THWART’s sound.

Thwart's 2018 LP was a brilliant introductory precursor that shows what the band can achieve in a short time with their will to create and makes curious about their next releases expecting a dynamic, passionate and groovy sound.

On their debut album, “Once Human”, the Berlin quintett hit their creative stride with 12 showpieces of diverse skill. Metalheads in favor of the melodic and brutal sound of Arch Enemy, groovy thrash sound of Sylosis and Trivium and the sonic magnificence of Testament will definitely find something intriguing and particular within THWART. Thanks to Jaro Sound, who mixed many metal albums including Gojira’s, “Once Human” started collecting virtual high fives from all over the world due to its top-notch production.

Although Lacuna Coil and Suicide Silence are two different poles vocally, frontwoman Secil Sen’s lyrics and performance draw from the melodic intensity of Cristina Scabbia and the evil, violent and high pitched extreme vocals of Eddie Hermida, integrating them into her influence of black metal as remnant of her teenage years, Angela Gossow of ex-Arch Enemy as remnant of her death metal fandom, and her own emotional, passionate and clear sound reminiscing from time to time Ann Wilson of Heart and Doro Pesch, without neglecting her own cultural memory of vocal styles. With the founder and guitarist Benjamin Knecht’s deep and powerful growls, which hold the similar energy to that of CJ McMahon of Thy Art is Murder and Andreas Dörner of Caliban, THWART completes a diverse set of vocal skills.

Benjamin Knecht, the founder, guitarist and composer of the band, creates great composition and ideas for Thwart. Alexander Hagemann, the other guitarist, unlocks creative minds with his cultivation of inspiration. Drummer Philipp Reif is a studied mathematician who has a spectacular timing control and rhythmic vocabulary, which he integrates into his personal energy control in every song. Bassist Dominik Budziak offers a variety of conceptions from simple to very complex and creative fundamentals, defining the low end of the band and advocating the heaviness within THWART. The music is not only heavy, energetic and fun, but also deep and emotional, just like the band members in their private lives.

The highly energetic track “Borders” draws from the singer’s life experience, which also defines the band’s perspective of existence, using the phrase “kill your borders in your mind”. Beginning with a sonic viciousness as in black metal, the track “Violent Self” focuses more on the difference between being a human and being humane, while the track “Parasite” is a groovy rebellion against toxic people and a demonstration of fearlessness.

Combining thrash metal and death metal, splattering a few core elements around, sometimes feeding off other genres and cultural differences and still staying on the melodic side, THWART has already headed towards becoming a distinctive, timeless band in the metal scene. THWART is made of passion, anger, hate, melancholy and embodied in uncompromising grooves, heavy riffs and glorious melodies.

Now the band has signed with Extreme Management Group, and had the following to say about the partnering, “We are thrilled to become a part of the EMG roster! If you take a look at all the bands they worked with - this cooperation is meant to be explosive! We are looking forward to the next steps with EMG.” EMG said, "Thwart has done a ton of work getting themselves to this point. We intend to make that hard work count.” Anticipate big things to come from Thwart and Extreme Management Group.
 

Thwart on Social Media:
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thwartband
 Official: https://www.thwartband.com/
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thwartband/
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thwartband
 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0DM4y8BAWL45pJ84Q-VNAg

 EMG: https://www.facebook.com/extrememanagementgroup