'The Legacy of War' is this German thrash metal band's second full-on strike after 2015's 'Walking on Hellish Trails' debut album. This album lyrical themes comprise of violence during centuries, ranging from gladiators to modern warfare and from drug wars to terrorists. Almost like watching the news...

They are rather simplistic, and so is Mortal Peril's music. At first it felt that not much memory marks was left by the music found here, but repeated listens brought up the band's potential among the retro-thrash crowd. One clear influence is legendary thrashers Sodom, but while they mingled with punk music, Mortal Peril combine heavy metal with thrashing. The band's use of harmonic guitar parts remind newer, more melodic Sodom, as well as of Megadeth. Or like on 'War Is Hell', 'Endorama' era Kreator (that's 1999 then)! Yeah, sharpish or more slanted thrash riffage and harmonic guitar work, with some quite tasty solos. There is more of that US influence going on here, and it manifests itself right away on the opener. Say Death Angel, Exodus, and back again to their homeland with Paradox. Tempo-wise, the songs are between mid-paced and fast, about fifty-fifty.

It was actually the demo level production, that ripped those cool riffs off of their power, and made them sound rather boring. This sounds like it was recorded live, but still it misses vigor. There's no wall of two guitars. It sounds too dry and blunt to grab you by your head and make you mosh. It just doesn't have enough muscle for thrash fucking metal!

This is not a presentation of music college level playing. Every instrumentalist can do okay, and it is enough. Again, I rather blame the production when it doesn't sound very bloody tight all around. The vocals are somewhere between Tom Angelripper (Sodom) and Schmier (Destruction), without real bite. Did I mention the production job already..?!?!?! Some gang vocals add retro-feel.

With 'The Legacy of War' Mortal Peril sound like war was actually over, not going on; it's not rabid at all! Better production work is definitely needed! Now it feels unfinished and might not get found and buried under the wastes of time. And it isn't waste itself...

Rating: 6+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/27/2017 21:30