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German Thrash Metal patrol GumoManiacs have kept their engines running for over 13 years now, with every release of theirs being an uncompromising assault of gimmick-free Teutonic Thrash. Band leader Daniel 'Gumo" Reiss has said in the past that he only wants to make honest Thrash that doesn't try to be anything else, and he's been able to do that while always refining his craft in some way with each release. This brings us to their fifth studio album, Morbid Tales of Terror, which stands out in their discography not only because it sports a gorgeous cover courtesy of renowned artist Andreas Marschall, but also because it stands as another step up in their quest to make the best Thrash possible.

This isn't an album that sees the band changing their style. That said, it is easily their most mature and varied work to date, taking all the best ideas from previous releases and refining them into a violent, cohesive whole. Opener "Bloodportals" sets the tone for the rest of the album: fast, thrashy, melodic, and heavy as all hell. Most of the album is made of cuts similar to this like "Of Warlords and Vengeance", the title track, the neck-breaking "Asmodeus", "Chamber of Souls", album closer "Brimstone Baptism"... did you notice I've named nearly half the track list at this point? The majority of this album is just the kind of fast-paced assault we look for in Thrash, but there is more going on than that. We get some mid-paced numbers like the Metallica-esque "Legion of Death", the vicious "Valley of Wolves", and the addictive "A Greater Cause", and even some less conventional songs like the rocking, Motörhead-inspired "Last Man Standing" and the moody instrumental "The Architect" that throws in some narration from guest Regal (a.k.a. Kirsty Dawson). I know I've basically talked about every track on here, but that's just the kind of album it is. Nothing feels wasted or half-assed, it's just the logical next step in this band's evolution that continues to prove they're one of the better Teutonic Thrash acts running today. Get this while it's hot.