War Master
 | This article may contain original research. It contains unsourced analysis regarding musical style. (September 2025) |
| War Master | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 February 1991[1] | |||
| Recorded | Slaughterhouse Studios, September 1990 | |||
| Genre | Death metal | |||
| Length | 46:03 | |||
| Label | Earache, Combat | |||
| Producer | Colin Richardson | |||
| Bolt Thrower chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| NME | 8/10[3] |
| Record-Journal | C+[4] |
War Master is the third studio album by British death metal band Bolt Thrower. It was recorded at Slaughterhouse studios in September 1990 and produced by Bolt Thrower and Colin Richardson. It was released on Earache Records: Mosh 29 in 1991.
Whereas Realm of Chaos was dominated by grindcore based blasts and riffs, this album abandons most of the grindcore influences for a sound that is more strictly death metal. Moreover, there is more melody in the music and the guitar solos, although some chaotic solos remain. This is also the final Bolt Thrower album to feature the blast beat style of drumming (which can be heard on four songs – "Unleashed (Upon Mankind)", "What Dwells Within", "War Master", and "Afterlife"), before it was abandoned and subsequently never used thereafter in the Bolt Thrower discography.
"Cenotaph" is a thematic continuation of the song "World Eater" from the previous record. The closing riff from "World Eater" is the same as the opening riff from "Cenotaph" and also used in "Embers" from The IVth Crusade, "Powder Burns" from Mercenary and "The Killchain" from Those Once Loyal.
The album was extensively sampled on Dutch breakcore producer Bong-Ra's album Full Metal Racket, with allusions also including song titles such as "Bloody Cenotaph" and "Jo Bench".[5]
Critical reception
Alex Henderson of AllMusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five. He wrote: "Despite Bolt Thrower's limitations, this is a CD that seasoned thrash fans will find invigorating."[6]
Track listing
All songs written by Bolt Thrower.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro... Unleashed (Upon Mankind)" | 6:13 |
| 2. | "What Dwells Within" | 4:18 |
| 3. | "The Shreds of Sanity" | 3:26 |
| 4. | "Profane Creation" | 5:32 |
| 5. | "Destructive Infinity" (CD bonus track) | 4:14 |
| 6. | "Final Revelation" | 3:55 |
| 7. | "Cenotaph" | 4:03 |
| 8. | "War Master" | 4:17 |
| 9. | "Rebirth of Humanity" | 4:01 |
| 10. | "Afterlife" | 5:59 |
| Total length: | 46:03 | |
Personnel
- Bolt Thrower
- Karl Willetts – vocals
- Gavin Ward – guitars
- Barry Thomson – guitars
- Andrew Whale – drums
- Jo Bench – bass
- Production
- Luton Sinfield – photography
- Pete Knifton & Ian Cooke at Maxjo Graphics – artwork and design
- Colin Richardson – production, recording
References
- ^ "Bolt Thrower - War Master - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives".
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ Wells, Steven (26 January 1991). "Long Play". NME. IPC. p. 32.
- ^ Atkinson, Peter (28 June 1991). "Off the Record". Record-Journal. p. 29.
- ^ "Bong-Ra – Full Metal Racket (2007, CD) – Discogs". Discogs. 22 October 2007.
- ^ War Master - Bolt Thrower | Album | AllMusic, retrieved 1 September 2025
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