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This is the debut album of England's Savage Messiah and it is a Heavy/Thrash Metal record reminiscent of Bay Area Thrash, but more specifically of Testament – their singer is a carbon copy of Chuck Billy and sonically, it resembles albums like The Legacy and The New Order. However, it would be too easy to dismiss them as a Testament clone as Insurrection Rising has some aspects that I liked above those two albums like the absolute stellar guitar work. Whether is the crunchy riffs or the terrific solos, they all make the songs improve tremendously and stand out above other bands.

The rest of the musicians aren't too bad either. Even though you struggle to hear the bass, it does add something to the songs. The drumming is good enough and doesn't try to show off to the detriment of the songs. You can have the greatest musicians in the world but if you cannot write good songs, the good musicianship is wasted. Fortunately Savage Messiah are capable songwriters, example of this are the thrashing title track, the catchy "In the Absence of Liberty" and the awesome "The Serpent Tongue of Divinity".

Insurrection Rising could have been a better record as there are a couple of short but noticeable faults, starting with the pace in which its played, this isn't an all out speed assault by any means but when they decide to slow down the tempo the songs aren't quite as good as they want to be. Next, there is the singer. While he isn't terrible by any means, a different voice could do wonders for this band. Still if you want solid, catchy and well-executed Heavy/Thrash Metal from a band that wears their influences proudly on their sleeves, then you can't go wrong with Savage Messiah. In a crowded British Thrash scene, I can see them making a mark and with a little more experience, they can make a great album.