SCATTER Delivers A Caustic, Tech Thrash Tornado

Cyberpunk aesthetics and high-velocity metal collide furiously on SCATTER’s debut EP, *Tech Hell Cyber Thrash*. Born out of pandemic hacker movie marathons and late-night gear manipulation, this project from mastermind Spenser Hodge, Texas guitar wizard Ruben Cantu, and Alaskan collaborator Justin Rodda functions as a paranoid, bloodsoaked treatise on our modern interconnected hellscape.

Instead of relying on cheap synth-wave nostalgia, the trio grounds their sci-fi themes in pure, razor-sharp musical aggression that bridges classic death metal brutality with technical speed metal dynamics. Recording engineer Greg Wilkinson captures this chaos perfectly at Earhammer Studios, delivering a mix loaded with immense, concrete weight.

Stark, black-and-white cover art by Matt Stikker provides the perfect visual gateway to the sonic violence within. His illustration depicts a gruesome, hyper-detailed scene of an unwilling victim being violently consumed by an encroaching technological singularity, choked by a claustrophobic mass of data cables, Ethernet cords, and invasive mechanical eye implants. This imagery sets a terrifyingly accurate tone for a record that refuses to pull its punches, delivering five incinerating tracks in under nineteen minutes.
A corrupted dial-up modem handshake kicks off the opening track, "Punching Deck," before the song shifts into a heavy, mid-tempo banger featuring reverb-drenched screams reminiscent of *Metal Blade*-era Voivod. The arrangement utilizes a dynamic dead stop before pivoting into a swirling riff, a cavernous lead break, and a half-time drum groove that snaps back into a classic cyberpunk assault. Driven by a chunky, slinking bridge riff and inhumanly deep guttural vocals, the track highlights a ripping set of leads—including a classic Glenn Tipton style throwback—before sonically punching the listener in the face until it hits an abrupt halt.

Momentum shifts into pure adrenaline on "Y2K Killer," which features a deeply disturbing, sub-basement vocal delivery that sounds like a demon at the bottom of a well reading Satan the riot act. A quick, introductory lead flurry serves as the precursor to a barrage of classic, high-velocity riffing reminiscent of early Sacrifice and a hectic chorus. Listeners are plunged completely into 1987 Combat and Noise Records territory as the first guitar solo blazes directly across the fretboard. Center track "404" keeps the velocity firmly redlined, utilizing razor-edged guitar riffs and psychotic, snarling vocals to forcefully push the listener over the proverbial edge of an aural cliff constructed of zeros and ones.

Technical complexity reaches a stunning peak on "Cyberwar Criminal," where disjointed six-string hacking and slashing leads explode into a vicious blast of steely chugging and sharp, single-string tremolo picking. This sonic space feels like Death and Megadeth colliding mid-air, enhanced further by a distinct, heavy Celtic Frost vibe and purely sick vocals. A devastating breakdown built to incite a massive mosh pit foreshadows a melodic guitar lead with a blazing arpeggio that climbs right to the top of the E-string.

EP finale "Binary Hearts" delivers the closing blow, beginning with a massive electronic surge that collapses into a torrent of sonic saturation, cavernous reverb, and the metaphorical crunch of Ethernet wire. The band locks into an incredibly edgy, tight groove, building toward a voracious chorus that immediately calls the technical thrash brilliance of Coroner to mind. Capstoned by a pinpoint guitar solo that strikes its target with the velocity of a high-powered shell, the track culminates in an absolute monster of a closer. Ultimately, *Tech Hell Cyber Thrash* is a phenomenal, rock-solid thrash metal record that proves the classic underground sound has found formidable new torchbearers capable of taking this music deep into the 2020s.

Immediate visual presentation sets a terrifyingly accurate expectation for the sonic violence within. Featuring striking, stark black-and-white cover art rendered by Matt Stikker (Metallica, Power Trip), the illustration depicts a gruesome, hyper-detailed scene of an unwilling victim being violently consumed by an encroaching technological singularity, choked by a claustrophobic mass of data cables, Ethernet cords, and invasive mechanical eye implants. Rather than leaning on cheesy, neon synth-wave tropes, the band grounds this techno-paranoia in pure, razor-sharp musical aggression, deploying five incinerating tracks in under nineteen minutes. Veteran producer Greg Wilkinson recorded, mixed, and mastered the entire affair at Earhammer Studios in Oakland, California, ensuring a production style that carries immense, concrete weight.

A corrupted dial-up modem handshake kicks off the technological nightmare on the opening track, "Punching Deck." Shifting quickly into a solid, heavy mid-tempo banger, the song features reverb-drenched screams that directly recall the classic Metal Blade Records era of Voivod. The arrangement utilizes a dynamic dead stop before pivoting into a swirling riff, a cavernous lead break, and a half-time drum groove that suddenly snaps back into a classic cyberpunk assault. Driven by a chunky, slinking bridge riff and inhumanly deep guttural vocals, the track highlights a ripping set of leads—including a classic Glenn Tipton style throwback—before sonically punching the listener in the face until it hits an abrupt halt.
Momentum shifts into pure adrenaline on "Y2K Killer," which features a deeply disturbing, sub-basement vocal delivery that sounds like a demon at the bottom of a well reading Satan the riot act. A quick, introductory lead flurry serves as the precursor to a barrage of classic, high-velocity riffing reminiscent of early Sacrifice and a hectic chorus. Listeners are plunged completely into 1987 Combat and Noise Records territory as the first guitar solo blazes directly across the fretboard. Center track "404" keeps the velocity firmly redlined. Boasting a perfect title for a piece operating at terminal speed, the song utilizes razor-edged guitar riffs and psychotic, snarling vocals to forcefully push the listener over the proverbial edge of an aural cliff constructed of zeros and ones.

Technical complexity reaches a stunning peak on "Cyberwar Criminal." Disjointed six-string hacking and slashing leads explode into a vicious blast of steely chugging and sharp, single-string tremolo picking, creating a sonic space where Death and Megadeth collide mid-air. Enhanced by a distinct, heavy Celtic Frost vibe and purely sick vocals, the track drops into a devastating breakdown built to incite a massive mosh pit, foreshadowing a melodic guitar lead with a blazing arpeggio that climbs right to the top of the E-string.

EP finale "Binary Hearts" delivers the closing blow. Beginning with a massive electronic surge that collapses into a torrent of sonic saturation, cavernous reverb, and the metaphorical crunch of Ethernet wire, the band locks into an incredibly edgy, tight groove. This momentum builds toward a voracious chorus that immediately calls the technical thrash brilliance of Coroner to mind. The entire track is capstoned by a pinpoint guitar solo that strikes its target with the velocity of a high-powered shell, culminating in an absolute monster of a closer. Ultimately, "Tech Hell Cyber Thrash" is a phenomenal, rock-solid thrash metal EP that fans of the classic underground will be thrilled to impulsively consume. It stands as definitive evidence that the classic thrash sound has found formidable new torchbearers capable of taking this music deep into the 2020s.

"Tech Hell Cyber Thrash" drops June 12th digitally through the band, with a cassette release from Immortal Jaw Recordings limited to 50 copies.