Can a comeback really work after 35 years? Cyclone are about to find out with Known Unto God, their first new release in over three decades, due out on February 6. The EP’s five tracks were written by core members Guido Gevels (vocals) and Stefaan Daamen (guitar), and recorded by Guido alongside a reinvigorated line up, with vocal and drum production, mixing, and mastering handled by Martin Furia (Destruction, Nervosa, Evil Invaders). Cover artwork for Known Unto God, a greyscale depiction of a resilient cross rising from a graveyard of discarded skulls, was created by Ivan S. Bragin (October Tide, The Gathering).

Cyclone are an old-school Belgian thrash metal band, originally conceived back in 1981. Those glory days saw the release of two studio albums, Brutal Destruction (1986) and Inferior To None (1990). During that era, Cyclone toured with the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Kreator, and Sepultura, to name a few.

The band called time in 1993, just before the steep decline of thrash metal in the mid-90s which was precipitated by a combination of market oversaturation, the massive commercial rise of grunge, and the emergence of more extreme death and black metal subgenres. But in 2019, original members Stefaan Daamen (guitar) and Guido Gevels (vocals) resurrected proceedings.

Eliminate opens with precise, razor-sharp old-school thrash guitar chops, punctuated by a guttural five-second scream before the band unleash their anger at a system “twisting the truth and the facts.” Church and state alike come under fire, capped by the rallying cry to “eliminate all your hate”. Pure, punk-era anti-establishment sentiment.

Known Unto God follows with a galloping riff and deliberate vocal delivery. A slightly wonky, angular guitar breakdown pops up at various points within the track, reminiscent of Slayer’s Jihad intro sequence. Throughout, there is fifth-gear pounding from drums and later, great complimentary rhythm before harmonised guitars join in a short solo. This stuff is awesome! It’s old school Slayer or Exodus.

I Fear Myself follows, “unleash the demons in my head, all my hatred I set free.” Whether this reads as catharsis or something darker is open to interpretation, but a standout mid-tempo breakdown—driven by guitar, bass, and drums—anchors the track in controlled aggression rather than chaotic extremes.

Nothing Is Real opens with an up-tempo, bold foundation riff that endures throughout—think Metallica’s No Remorse or Phantom Lord. It’s no-nonsense metal minimalism that shares early thrash DNA. The coiled, tense delivery gives way to a flashier mid-song solo, before the riff is reshuffled for an ending that feels like a reprise, or even a separate track in its own right.

The EP signs off with The Truth Lies, the shortest track at just under three minutes. The economical intro riff is very similar to that of the first track with firm down picking.

I enjoyed this—Cyclone V2.0 looks set to send fans into a spin, delivering a comeback that hits harder than most. Thrash metal is in the midst of a robust resurgence, refusing to die as festivals book more bands than ever and a new generation discovers its speed and chaos for the first time. It has moved on from the dirty that was dealt to the genre by grunge throughout the 90s. Cyclone already have some big shows lined up for 2026, including Rock Affligem in May and Alcatraz Festival in August.