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Designation (1992)
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.
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.
(30 Apr. 2025)
Made of Pain (1993)
Recorded and released in 1993, Made of Pain is the second album from Gladiator. Here, the band continued their Sepultura-inspired death/thrash for the most part. The production is a little rougher and has a slightly thinner and less rich sound than Designation. The playing is just as tight, if not moreso, but the songwriting is a bit inconsistent. There are a couple tracks that are quite wretched and skippable, but the good songs make up for those mistakes. Stuff like the title track and "Blood" still carry the intensity and gloom of the debut, and these faster songs make the most impact.
There is still a lot of solid thrash here, even if, overall, Made of Pain isn't quite as good as Designation. Considering that the band would totally change their style after this, it's pure luck that even this one was good.
There is still a lot of solid thrash here, even if, overall, Made of Pain isn't quite as good as Designation. Considering that the band would totally change their style after this, it's pure luck that even this one was good.
(31 May 2025)
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