Austria's Mortician has had an uneven discography in terms of quality over the years, but with the addition of vocalist Twain Cooper back in 2018 and the release of their latest album, 40 Years of Metal, they've now strung together two solid efforts in a row. Mortician's stock-in-trade is crunchy, European metal and they begin 40 Years of Metal with a title track that brings it all together into what may be their best song. The riff is a crusher, Cooper's vocal lines are aggressive yet melodic and easy to sing along to and the lead work (throughout the album, not just on this song) is quite good. It was a wise choice to lead the album with this song as it is the strongest and there's a drop in songwriting quality after it, but not a precipitous one. Songs like "Leather and Wheels" and "King of the Ring" are bangers but are on the generic side. "Angels on Earth", on the other hand, has a dark, emotional vibe that I quite like even if the song isn't as good as the title track. Overall, 40 Years of Metal is a very good album that doesn't break any molds, but if you are into U.D.O., Running Wild, Rage, etc., you're bound to find plenty to enjoy.