Back with their second album, this UK thrash outfit have already supported the likes of Exodus, Overkill, Destruction, Sacred Reich, Suicidal Tendencies, Sepultura and Death Angel among others, and they have taken plenty of notes along the way. This is old-school twin guitar thrash attack that has obviously been influenced by Megadeth, Slayer, Testament (especially) and Exodus, yet certainly doesn’t come across as a latter day copyist outfit. Here is a band that lives and breathes the genre, and it shows in their music. Together since 2009, they are a tightly honed unit, and it is hard to come up with superlatives for just how good this is. No wonder that leaders of the genre have been looking to have these guys warm up the crowd for them, I am sure the headliners only worry would have been whether or not they could prove that the bill was in the right order!
This is a sound from thirty plus years ago, brought bang up to date with great production and musicianship, and it is still hard to fathom that Shrapnel haven’t come out of the Bay area, and instead are a British act! It certainly doesn’t sound that way. Fast and brutal, yet still with plenty of melody and thoughtfulness within the attack, this is thrash album for the modern day. Miss this at your peril.
