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As an Exciter fan, I was disappointed to hear that Jacques Belanger, the vocalist who replaced the legendary Dan Beehler, would be leaving the band. The man did a good job filling Beehler’s shoes. The exit of Belanger and the entrance of Kenny "Metal Mouth" Winter for 2008’s Thrash, Speed, Burn gave me a feeling that this ship was headed for the rocks.

After Thrash, Speed, Burn I was expecting Exciter to get back to the same high-class Thrash Metal like they released in the 80s. I was actually hoping for that on Thrash, Speed, Burn, but it didn’t happen. 2010’s Death Machine sees the band making the same static, monotonous Speed Metal music without even trying to showcase their experience. There are some decent tracks like "Death Machine," "Demented Prisoners" and "Slaughtered in Vain," but it is hard to shake the feeling that Exciter has run into a wall.

For a band that is one of the pioneers of Speed/Thrash Metal, Death Machine is not a great album. The band tried for a 80s sound and for a fan of that style of recording this will be a pleasure. Nonetheless, there are some inconsistencies with the mixing and mastering which resulted in some of the tracks sounding as if they were demo versions. As mentioned, fans of that sound will like it, but those unfamiliar with Exciter will find it hard to appreciate the speedy passages.

I found it hard to give Exciter this rating, but I can’t see any other way. With Death Machine, the band simply didn’t make the cut. My expectations were that they would make an album way better than its predecessor, but that didn’t happen.