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I liked Protector's 2013 album, Reanimated Homunculus, but missed the follow-up. Cursed and Coronated, so it was with a smile I began listening to 2019's Summon the Hordes. Protector haven't strayed from their formula of ass-kicking death/thrash very much in the last six years, so if you like their razor-sharp riffing and maniacal drumming, this one is a no-brainer. Protector use a lot of speed, which isn't to say they can't break it down every now and then, but they fly along without sounding triggered or artificial, which is a nice break from all the click-track metal today. No one song stands out and they run together a bit, but all hammer your skull relentlessly. If there were one of two real killer cuts, Summon the Hordes would be mandatory but even devoid of them, it is a muscular, pounding assault that death/thrash fans should not miss.