• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

It's not very often you stick a promo CD into your CD player and expect to be blown away by what you're hearing. Of course, it does occasionally happen, but at best you generally get a decent to good album. At worst, you're generally sat checking your watch, trying to stop yourself from clicking the skip track button. Exmortus, however have managed to impress me so much within the very first listen of this album that I needed to go for a lay down afterwards from excess headbanging and horn throwing.

Starting out in 2003, this is their debut album (which seemingly features tracks from their 2007 EP which shares this album's name), and boy, impressive isn't a strong enough word. These guys mix Thrash with Death Metal like true masters of both genres, pumping in Santolla-era Deicide extremity and melody with the base fist pumping power of any of the new school Thrash bands. It is the Death Metal aspects of their music that often take the forefront with blasting drums and crushing riffs blasting you from all angles, but it's not you're regular styled Death Metal. Oh no, this is so packed with melody that it even recalls the likes of Maiden (yes, they've definitely been influenced by the Gotenburg scene, but it's seriously more pumped up neo-classical Maiden than any of your average Swedish melodeath material).

Did I mention the solos? These guys rip and shred with the best of them, but their solo work is outstanding, especially the solo trade offs (which at times go on for a fair while — awesome!). However, it's the fact that they're technically superior with the songwriting abilities to boot that make them so good. This, as well as the ability to mix in the heaviness with such an abundance of melody without all your teeth rotting out afterwards - makes for a winning combination. Excellent stuff.