Hidden Intent - Terrorform (Album Review)

Hidden Intent - Terrorform
Released: March 21, 2025

Line Up

Phil Bennett // Guitars
Chris McEwen // Bass, Vocals
Paul Lewis // Drums

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Adelaide’s favourite Aussie thrashers Hidden Intent are probably best known for their wicked sense of humour, thanks to singles like ‘Drop Bears are Real’. Their new LP, Terrorform, pulls back on the pub jokes and pushes the speed past breakneck. It’s not just fast though, with the album featuring all kinds of melody and groove.

The thrash genre was largely codified by the Big 4 in the mid-80s and it’s that template that Hidden Intent follows. Terrorform isn’t about pushing the genre to new places, it's about the band pushing their musicianship and lyrics to the hilt. It's about kicking arse. The instrumental intro, ‘Paradoxx’, is fairly standard for an album like this but ‘The Ruins’ kicks all sorts of but. It’s a statement about political corruption with all sorts of neat twists through the cracking riffs. The lightning strikes across the album with ‘Killfactuation’ and its great guitar solos, the blinding energy of ‘Behind the Mask’, and the thundering bass on ‘Cursed and Bound’.

The band aren’t content with just going fast, there’s some genuinely great songs here that lean on guitar melodies and change tempo without losing steam. The title track ‘Terrorform’ is an epic example that might be the best song they’ve crafted. Every moment is well constructed and played with gusto. The lead that opens and closes the song is just killer and should be sung by crowds whenever they play. Likewise, ‘One More for the Road’ has a long melodic intro, recalling Iron Maiden, though the main riff is a sweet chug, backed by acoustic guitar. It sounds massive with the barking vocal style of Chris McEwen keeping it raw. 

Much of Terrorform is serious business indeed but there’s still time for Hidden Intent to be blunt about their meaning. ‘Cum Punch (Toxic Human)’ is a brutal 90 second take down of, well, toxic humans, calling for violence against people who deserve a good thump to the face. It’s more hardcore than you’d expect and it’ll be a live favourite. There’s also the rumbling call to action of ‘Fkn Lose It’. I do love it when they get all sweary. 

If the album was all swearing and violence there’s plenty of fans who would be happy but I’m more impressed with their growth. The acoustic track/intro might be a genre staple, but ‘The Loss’ is gorgeous and sets the scene for the brutal ‘Dyssomia’, a song that slows down to groove and gets darker than I expected. Final track ‘Reaper’ also goes for a darker mood with a bass led open and some big power chords. From there it's pedal down, full acceleration and it’s glorious. Trash at its best is uncompromising and uncomplicated and ‘Reaper’ fits the description nicely. 

‍Hidden Intent have nailed Terrorform, featuring all the tropes that make thrash my favourite metal genre. It’s meant to be played loud with the slower, menacing groove balancing the bedlam speed. They’re not reinventing the wheel but they’re damn sure making it spin faster. 

Rating: 7/10
‍Terrorform is out now. Stream it here. 
Review by KJ Draven (Instagram & Threads)