Reviews: Butt Splitters - Nibelvirch (2024)
Their new album "Nibelvirch" is a filthy, aggressive, and unapologetically old-school metal attack that refuses to polish away the rough edges that give extreme music its character.
At its core, this is a record built around thrash metal, but Butt Splitters are clearly not interested in staying inside one box. The album pulls together classic thrash aggression, heavy metal weight, punk attitude and a raw underground spirit, creating a sound that feels both familiar and fiercely personal.
The guitars are the absolute driving force. Riffs come fast, sharp and muscular, constantly shifting between furious thrash passages and heavier, more crushing sections. There is a real sense of movement throughout the album, with the band knowing when to accelerate and when to slow things down and let the riffs hit with maximum impact. The guitar work doesn't aim for unnecessary technicality; instead, it focuses on power, attitude and memorable riffing.
And that is one of the album's strongest weapons. These songs are not simply built around speed. They are built around riffs that stick. You can hear the influence of the classic thrash era, but Butt Splitters give those ingredients a much dirtier and more contemporary underground treatment.
The rhythm section deserves equal credit. The drums hit hard, keeping the music in constant motion, while the bass provides the necessary weight underneath the guitar assault. Together, they create a thick and energetic foundation that makes the heavier moments feel genuinely powerful.
Vocally, the album follows the same philosophy: no unnecessary polish, no artificial perfection, just attitude. The delivery fits the music perfectly, carrying the aggression, frustration and rebellious character that define the record. There is a certain punk-like directness in the vocals that prevents the album from becoming just another technically competent thrash release.
What makes Butt Splitters particularly interesting is the balance between old-school metal instinct and modern underground energy. You can hear echoes of the great thrash tradition, but this is not a nostalgia trip. The band takes those influences and turns them into something rougher, nastier and distinctly their own.
The production also works in the album's favour. Rather than making everything excessively clean and sterile, it allows the raw character of the performances to remain audible. The guitars have bite, the drums have impact and the whole record feels like it belongs in a sweaty club rather than a perfectly controlled studio environment.
There are moments when the album becomes downright nasty—and that's exactly where it works best. The heavier riffs have genuine headbanging power, while the faster sections deliver the kind of adrenaline that thrash metal was born to create. Butt Splitters understand that aggression is not simply about playing faster; it is about creating tension, releasing it, and making the listener feel every hit.
This is also an album with a strong underground identity. It doesn't sound like a band trying to fit into the current metal market. Instead, it sounds like a band making the kind of music they actually want to hear: loud, dirty, aggressive and honest.
For fans of classic thrash, dirty heavy metal, crossover attitude and underground records that put energy before perfection, Butt Splitters have delivered something worth turning up loud.
The new album isn't here to ask politely for your attention.
It grabs you by the throat, throws you into the mosh pit and tells you to keep up.
Butt Splitters prove that thrash metal still has plenty of teeth—and they're not interested in pulling any of them.
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