Gladiator

Gladiator was a death/thrash band from Czechoslovakia, and their first full-length, Designation, was recorded at the end of 1991 and released the following year. This material owes a lot to Beneath the Remains-era Sepultura—so much so that it almost sounds like a more natural successor than Arise. While the influence is obvious, Designation avoids feeling like a ripoff. The riffs are solid and memorable, and the songwriting holds its own. The one area where things get a little too close for comfort is the vocal performance—Miko sounds about as much like Max Cavalera as humanly possible. “Mortal Glare” also treads familiar ground, coming pretty close to “Mass Hypnosis” at times.

Overall, Designation features very consistent songwriting and a well-executed performance. The gloomy atmosphere and death-tinged riffing are highlights, and the production helps preserve the rawness without being too muddy or too clean—striking a nice middle ground that suits the style well. The best track is probably “Profitable Losses,” though "Sorrow" is another standout with its dark feeling and strong riffs. Gladiator's debut is a very solid release and worth checking out for fans of Sepultura or late ’80s death/thrash in general.

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