Yorkshire’s Thrash Titans Return with a Relentless Barrage of Hardcore Fury

Yorkshire’s own Sidewinder aren’t here to negotiate. They’re here to conquer. March of the Eternal Heretic, their latest independently released EP, is a four-track lesson in controlled chaos—a thrash-meets-hardcore juggernaut engineered for the pit. If War Tapes Vol. 1 was the battle cry, this is their brand new, full-blown assault.

Recorded by James Atkinson (Angel Witch, Carcass, Wytch Hazel), this EP is a savage statement of riff-driven hostility that channels both classic thrash and modern hardcore’s blunt-force trauma.

Track-by-Track Breakdown

1. "Two Zero One" – A Precision-Guided Blast of Savagery

Opening with militant precision, "Two Zero One" starts it off right. The opening riff drills into your skull, locking you into a calculated, mechanical groove before throwing you headfirst into an all-out thrash blitz. The guitars are a relentless sawblade, the rhythm section is tighter than a clenched fist, and Damo’s vocals? Pure, unfiltered rage. No flashy solos—just ear-candy fills that glue the song’s shifts together like a well-placed punch.

2. "March of the Eternal Heretic" – A Pit Anthem for the Unrepentant

The title track is a mid-tempo skull-crusher that erupts into pure thrash fury. Lyrically, it’s a call to arms, with lines like “Destroy the devil” and “Break the dead” dripping with venom. The song’s final stretch is a mosh-pit death sentence—if you're not throwing fists by the last breakdown, check your pulse. Special mention to the solo here: fast, brutal, and tailor-made for stage-diving recklessness.

3. "From Beneath They Shall Rise" – Pure Speed, Pure Chaos

This one is a burner. No breathers, no mercy—just a high-speed, full-throttle attack. Finch’s bass tone growls under the mix, holding the low end like an iron anchor while the guitars carve out jagged, relentless riffs. But it’s the solo that steals the spotlight here: unpredictable, emotional, and razor-sharp. The track is a testament to Sidewinder’s ability to keep the aggression dialed to 11 without losing musicality.

4. "Ashes of Reality" – Bay Area Thrash Nostalgia, Revved to 2025 Standards

This one starts like a riot. The opening thrash tempo hooks you in immediately, and the background vocal chants add an anthemic quality, sounding like everyone’s screaming in unison. The energy snowballs until the 1:30 mark, when a lightning-fast guitar solo tears through, sending the song into full-speed chaos.

Things get interesting at 2:12—time changes slip you back into a steady thrash groove, reinforcing that classic whiplash effect that old-school thrash did so well. And then, the second solo drops—this time, dripping in Bay Area nostalgia, channeling the unhinged energy of early Exodus, Testament, and Forbidden. It’s a ripper of a closer, cementing the EP as one of Sidewinder’s best releases yet.

The Verdict: Thrash Done Right, With a Hardcore Edge

Sidewinder’s March of the Eternal Heretic is everything a modern thrash/hardcore crossover should be: aggressive, relentless, and built for the stage. Their mix of groove-laden thrash and hardcore intensity keeps the momentum non-stop, never slipping into self-indulgence or overproduction. If Exodus, Power Trip, and the chaotic intensity of Cro-Mags are in your playlist, this is essential listening.

With Gareth Hares supplying the artwork, this EP not only sounds brutal—it looks the part, too. If you haven’t seen these guys live yet, 2025 is the year to fix that mistake. Sidewinder aren’t just carrying the torch for UK thrash—they’re swinging it like a war hammer.

For Fans Of: Exodus, Power Trip, Anthrax, Cro-Mags, Slayer