PARABELLUM - The Iron Curtain (CD)

Originally released in 2024 and now re-issued via Rockshots Records, “The Iron Curtain” marks the explosive debut of California’s rising thrash metal force Parabellum. Written and recorded while the members were still in high school, the album embodies the hunger, anger and conviction of a new generation discovering its voice through speed, precision and rebellion. It is the sound of youthful defiance sharpened into something purposeful - a record that burns with the urgency of truth and the refusal to remain silent.

Conceptually, “The Iron Curtain” is a statement against control, propaganda and division - political, digital and personal. Drawing parallels between historical tyranny and modern manipulation, Parabellum deliver ten tracks that expose humanity’s recurring need to build walls: physical, ideological and emotional. From the searing intensity of “Deserted” and the razor-sharp title track “The Iron Curtain” to the dynamic shifts of “Corridor of Rage” and the bleak reflection of “The Vacant Gaze”, every song is both a sonic assault and a philosophical confrontation.

“This record was born out of frustration with the systems that profit off fear, control and conflict,” the band explains. “Each song is a bullet aimed at apathy, conformity and silence.”

Musically, “The Iron Curtain” fuses the Bay Area tradition of Metallica, Testament and Exodus with the relentless aggression of Slayer and early Sepultura. The guitars, handled by Emre Aube and Davy Galileo, cut with surgical precision - fast, articulate and layered with melodic counterpoints. Jacey Knecht’s drumming provides an unbroken rhythmic barrage while Kyle O’Connor’s bass gives the music its grounded, thunderous pulse. Vocally, Emre delivers a commanding performance that balances clarity and fury, channeling both anger and purpose into every line.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Tom Jimenez at Audio Edge Recordings (Sacramento, CA), the album’s sound is raw, powerful and unfiltered - a deliberate choice to preserve the immediacy of four musicians performing together, unrefined and unrestrained. The result captures the essence of live thrash energy, refusing the overproduction that often sterilizes modern metal. Every snare hit, every downstroke, every shouted lyric feels alive, urgent and necessary.

Tracks like “Indoctrination” and “Truth Written in Blood” showcase the band’s lyrical boldness - addressing brainwashing, societal apathy and the price of truth - while instrumentals like “Logos Rhema” reveal a rare sense of atmosphere, bridging aggression with introspection. The closing track, “Amoshalypse”, ends the record in cataclysmic fashion, serving as both an apocalypse and a rebirth.

“We were between 15 and 18 when we wrote and recorded this album,” recalls vocalist Emre Aube. “It’s pure energy and conviction without compromise - the sound of four kids finding their identity through riffs and resistance.”

“The Iron Curtain” is more than a debut — it’s a manifesto. Fast, aggressive and unapologetic, it laid the foundation for Parabellum’s evolution into a new era of modern thrash. Its message remains timeless: thrash metal as rebellion, awareness and unity in a world divided by fear.

MARKETING & PROMOTION / SELLING POINTS

- Re-issue of the first full-length album by thrash metal band PARABELLUM
- For fans of Metallica, Slayer, Sepultura, Testament, Exodus.