Apparently the Warbringer lads never got the memo about the thrash metal revival's expiry date. Finishing their newest in record time with the help of Exodus' Gary Holt on production duties, this follow up to last year's 'War without End' proves a far more vicious beast than its predecessor. With nary a soft touch or soaring guitar pyrotechnics, 'Waking into Nightmares' is a monument to grim, violent thrash from the underbelly of Sodom, Slayer (duh), Kreator, early Sepultura, and, well, Exodus. The music inside is a dark cloud for your open-minded playlist that will warp every symphonic power metal CDs it comes into contact with.

Right from the start 'Jackal' explodes with reckless abandon and pummels like a jackhammer. It's jolly good fun hearing these young guns go about their trade with youthful relish, as if all their sexual energy were channeled into brutalizing riffs and machinegun drums. And doesn't frontman John Kevill sound nasty? On most songs here (except for the haunting instrumental 'Nightmare Anatomy') he's snarling away like a madman, chewing up his words like a hungry dog feasting on raw meat. As for the rest of the band, Nick Ritter is happy enough pounding his kit to pieces while bass-commando Ben Bennet lets loose these dull, testicular throbs that complement his six-stringed siblings' efforts. Much later in the album the listener discovers that the Exodus touch doesn't end with Gary Holt, as Steve Souza joins in on 'Shadow from a Tomb' for a couple of pained verses.

Fully aware of the power that lies between two guitars expertly wielded by their thrash-schooled handlers, riffs galore plague this album like a virulent rash. There's the Megadeth speed and complexity of 'Living in a Whirlwind', the grooving hooks on 'Scorched Earth', the twisting 'Abandoned by Time', and the beefy 'Senseless Life' - certainly more than enough to leave both ears ringing. While this album is a guaranteed adrenalin rush for those who want violence added to their daily music diet, 'Waking into Nightmares' offers nothing new in lyrics or music, being an extension of old favorites and classic ingredients. It's a lot of fun though, and look at the cover: Epic, huh?

Rating: 7 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Miguel Miranda
06/17/2009 21:01