Infernal Majesty – None Shall Defy LP

Infernäl Mäjesty hail from Toronto, Canada. Formed in 1986 and initially known as Overlord, the band attracted considerable media attention and recognition in underground circles with their four-track demo, eventually securing a deal with Roadrunner Records.

Their self-produced debut, None Shall Defy, was released in 1987 and has since developed into a cult classic. Thrash fans worldwide regard it as one of the genre's finest albums and one of the best metal records to emerge from Canada, yet it has always remained criminally underrated. This reissue on High Roller Records gives every thrash head a chance to discover – or rediscover – this searing, aggressive and ultra-heavy piece of thrash history.

Considering the band had formed only a year before the album was released, the quality of the musicianship and the remarkably well-crafted songs are all the more impressive. The original production strikes an unusual balance between heaviness, clarity and murkiness, while Patrick W. Engel's careful remastering at Temple of Disharmony brings out the best in the recording.

One thing reviewers consistently point out is just how evil the album sounds – not only in its production, but in the delivery of the songs themselves. It's technical, but the technique is always in service of the song: riffs are constantly varied, brilliant ideas abound, and complex time changes sit alongside blistering solos. The lyrics are equally dark and, at times, extremely blasphemous. What more could you ask for?