Bloodletter – Leave the Light Behind Review

By ClarkKent

Hot off Holdeneye’s 3.5 for their third album, Chicago’s Bloodletter jumps right back into more thrashy melodeath with album number four, Leave the Light Behind. Holdeneye saw a big improvement between sophomore record Funeral Hymns and A Different Kind of Hell, saying he finally saw what so enamored Angry Metal Guy about Funeral Hymns.1 I too, grew enamored when I first set my ears on their style of smooth, polished thrash. Bloodletter play my kind of kryptonite—catchy, melodic guitar leads with tons of energy. When I saw this hit the promo bin, I immediately snatched it before Dr. AMG could get his hands on it. I was anxious to discover if Bloodletter could keep up with the energy and expert melodicism of their previous work.

Leave the Light Behind continues in the melothrash vein of its predecessor, combining thunderous, lightning-fast blast beats with memorable harmonic riffs. Bloodletter sounds as if they were born of an orgy between Black Dahlia Murder, Death Angel, Exodus, and At the Gates. If that doesn’t sound like a good time, then you should get your ears checked by one of our staff doctors. Bloodletter has an undeniable polish, giving them a modern sound, though that means they miss out on the charms of the raw energy of Bonded by Blood or Slaughter of the Soul. In some ways, they’ve even upped their thrash game—some of those tremolos are so speedy I can’t help but wonder if they contracted Flash as a special guest. However, it’s not all speed all the time. A few songs slow things down to a mid-tempo while still managing to sound fresh and vivacious (“Terminal,” “Call of the Deep One”). They even have a moment on “Night Terrors” where a haunting piano intro lulls you into expecting a ballad before the sudden booming snare drum knocks you flat. Nonetheless, the album’s breakneck velocity ensures that its 34 minutes are over in the blink of an eye. So you better pay attention.

Between Funeral Hymns and Leave the Light Behind, there’s no denying the quality and growth of these musicians. The muscular drums and frenzied, yet disciplined, riffs keep a breathless pace. Yet drummer Zach Sutton and guitarists Peter Carparelli and Pat Armamentos display some nuance to show that Bloodletter is more than simple speed bag-level velocity. Most impressive are the harmonic guitar leads featured in many choruses. You might not find yourself singing along to the words, but you might instead hum along to the catchy melodic riffage on display during “A World Unmade,” “Terminal,” and “Unearthing Darkness.” For these alone, I feel that Leave the Light Behind is a step up from its predecessor. Even outside of the harmonic leads, the riffs are a blast, and thanks to their variety, they never grow stale or repetitive

One major point of criticism aimed at Bloodletter, both from Holdeneye and readers, is Carparelli’s one-note vocals. Personally, they don’t bother me much. His scratchy shouts bring a punky energy that adds some urgency to the thrash. Yet it’s true that his voice hovers in a state of limbo—he lacks the snarls of Trevor Strnad, nor does he truly sing like Anthrax’s Joey Belladonna. Those put off by him on previous albums won’t find the vocal situation any different this time around. I still find Carparelli effective, especially on “The Black Death,” the rare song where the singing on the chorus is more fun than the riffs. He brings forth a burst of raw, despairing anger as he sings “This is more than sickness / It’s a god damn tragedy.” Carparelli nicely complements the rest of the music, and his personality has begun to bleed into the DNA of Bloodletter, making him an inseparable part of it.

If what you want is a tight, enjoyable piece of melodic thrash, then you can’t do much better than Leave the Light Behind. Bloodletter has undeniably honed their craft into a no-frills, efficient exemplar of the style. And it’s another notch in the belt for Chicago, Illinois, along with Blind Equation, Bear Mace, and the new Pope. Maybe if Chicago sports stadiums played music from these local bands, fans would have something to cheer about. Leave the Light Behind also continues the winning streak for Bloodletter. As far as thrash and melodeath go, this is one of the standouts of 2025.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Wise Blood Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: July 25th, 2025

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