The album adheres very strongly to the original mixture of aggressive vocal shouts and melodic riffing observed on their early albums, but with a much cleaner production and a bit of an awareness of the newer German Power Metal acts that came out of the mid to late 1990s such as Paragon and Iron Savior. This is particularly noticeable in the peculiar sound and character of the lead guitar tracks. Naturally, the mix here is far superior to what they've done before, from a technical standpoint. The instruments are very well-balanced, the vocals at the forefront without robbing the guitars of their power. Stylistically, the variation in approach from song to song mostly hearkens back to the mid to late 80s approach, mostly being dominated by speed songs with the occasional slower rocker and token half-ballad. Alight and Hills of Dead have a lot of German pre-Thrash elements and NWOBHM leanings. Terrorist Attack definitely carries some heavy Accept influences, as well as a gloomy piano line which is fairly uncharacteristic for a straight Thrash Metal outfit. Fireball has this sombre acoustic line to it that meshes with some standard Power chord riffing to form a middle ground between Anthrax and Bad Religion. It's certainly the catchiest and vocally melodic of what's on here, but occasionally kicks in the speed to keep it from being a straight power ballad. To the prospective shopper of faster Metal with a taste for the old school, this is something that can appeal equally to fans of Old-school Thrash Metal, early US Power Metal and early German Speed Metal. The only thing that the latter two groups of fans should consider is that Freddy Fredrich's gravely vocal style is more akin to the semi-melodic shouts of Kreator and Destruction than the less dirty melodic vocal approach of Rolf Kasperek or Udo Dirkschneider. But for fans of German Thrash Metal, this is far superior to what most of their scene has been offering in the first decade of the current century.
Release date:
October 4, 2024
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Turntables - Top Picks
A selection of reliable record players you can buy today, for every budget
-
HumminGuru: Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner
Advanced ultrasonic technology with customizable cleaning cycles and a large tank capacity to thoroughly remove dust, dirt, and contaminants
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Between The Buried And Me The Blue Nowhere [2xLP]
Inside Out Music
September 12, 2025 -
Bloc Party Silent Alarm (Box Set)
Pias America
September 26, 2025 -
Beyond The Black Break The Silence (Gold)
Nuclear Blast
January 9, 2026 -
Mappe Of Afterglades
Paper Bag Records
September 19, 2025 -
blessthefall GALLOWS (Smoke)
Rise Records
September 5, 2025 -
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA Foggy Horizon [2xLP]
Motown Gospel
September 19, 2025 -
The Antlers Blight (Pink)
Transgressive
October 10, 2025 -
Warcoe Upon All Thrones (Pearl)
Ripple Music
September 26, 2025 -
Brogeal Tuesday Paper Club
Play It Again Sam
October 17, 2025 -
Joan Shelley Real Warmth
No Quarter
September 19, 2025 -
Saul Williams & Carlos Nino Saul Williams meets Carlos Nino & Friends at Treepeople [2xLP]
International Anthem
September 19, 2025 -
Mélancolia random.access.misery (Turquoise Transp, Red Opaque, Black Splatter)
Nuclear Blast
August 29, 2025 -
Bone Church Deliverance (Lavender Marble)
Ripple Music
October 24, 2025 -
Seedbed Stalemate (Topaz Smoke)
Tiny Engines
September 12, 2025