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I'm really beginning to rate Rage as a very reliable band. Each album I've checked out has failed to disappoint me – most of the time exceeding any expectations. Well The Missing Link certainly exceeds any expectations I had at first, turning out to be a damn cool album. Thundering rhythms, with some flat-out smoking guitar work carries this over perfectly through the mix of speedy and heavy tracks offered throughout the album. It's really hard to believe there were only three guys doing this album, you could really be fooled without prior knowledge. The sound is big, Chris Efthimiadis boasts a great mastery of the drum kit – whilst maybe not as quick as Jorg Michael with the double bass pedal, his style is great and packs a load of power. Guitars handled courtesy of Manni Schmidt, and his playing is certainly nothing to sneeze at. The guy has the knack for a memorable solo and his riffs and rhythm playing smokes like a vehicle of hell. Peavy Wagner should really need no introduction, the driving force of the band and of course their sound. His bass is always audible, but never too high in the mix, a perfect complement adding that touch of heaviness.

As a whole The Missing Link boasts a nice mix of speedy numbers to mid-paced affairs, although remaining heavy throughout. Album opener "Firestorm" stands as one of my personal favorites from the band with some great thrashy riffage and a choice solo section. The speedy numbers are all handled very nicely, tracks such as "From The Underworld" or "Her Diary's Black Pages" show the thrash metal influence in the band, the latter featuring some cool riffage and drum-work especially 36 seconds in, utilizing an odd drum pattern before launching into the assault. I could go on, as this is one of those albums enjoyable from start to finish although I could do without the bonus tracks on the disc I have.

Overall this is a great slice of German speed metal, kept interesting through inspiring performances and genuinely cool song-writing. Fans of Grave Digger, Running Wild, Iron Savior etc would certainly do well to pick this up. In fact I'm sure thrash metal fans would be able to find a lot of enjoyment here particularly on the faster songs. Recommended.