Forged in the Teutonic thrash metal fires in the 80s, Exumer quickly rose up with the likes of Kreator and Sodom before breaking up, a triumphant return in 2008, since then they have released three further albums; now they are set to unleash “Death Mask Messiah” on the 28th of August and much like previous releases, this does not disappoint proving that old is nearly always better.
The album opens with title track “Death Mask Messiah”, no messing about here, this is as clear a statement as any as to what this album holds in store, the opening salvo of Reil’s drums and the riffs from Mensh and Marc B lay the foundations as the track steamrolls you right from the off, as soon as Stein comes in his vocals immediately elevate the track as he spits out his lyrics with a vitriolic edge, you can’t really ask for more from an opener; it’s fast, aggressive and most of all kick ass. Not one to be outdone, “Blinding Skies” continues the onslaught. With its galloping riffs and booming bass, this is a brutal track that combines all the power and fury they can muster, but with a melodic side to the riffs around the chorus; throughout all the chaos, Mensh manages to drop a killer solo, which gives the track a nice kick.
The cutting riffs that open “Sin Bleeder” are manic, which is accentuated when Stein jumps in with his snarling vocals; the rhythm created by Reil and Voss is insane and really pushes the track along. “Eradication” for me is the standout track on the album; the groove from Reil and Voss gets the blood pumping while Mensh and Marc B are throwing riffs around like nobody’s business that are sharp as a tack. Stein is on top form with his vocals, adding an extra layer to the track and serving as a rhythmic accent. Killer tune. “Ravishing Waste” brings the fury back with a vengeance; the guitars are particularly savage as both Mensh and Marc B trade off nicely, Mensh dropping another cool solo near the end of the track, while the monster low end from Reil and Voss gives them a massive platform to build off; add Stein’s brutality to the mix, and you have a brilliant thrasher. “Allocated Savagery” is another old school thrasher that repeatedly punches you in the face. Stein alongside Reil and Voss let rip, setting the tempo for the track while dragging Mensh and Marc B along for the ride, who, to their credit, are more than equal to the task with their excellent guitar work; a relentless track that will have the heads banging. Driven by a monster drum beat and crunching riffs “Serpent” is slowed down a little to give it a heavier feel although Stein must have missed the memo as he is at full tilt, there is also a more melodic vibe from the guitars and Mensh’s solo is brilliant, a nice change of pace that proved you don’t have to be balls out all the time to create a savage thrashterpiece. “Fratcide” ramps it back up with an unrelenting monster that is chock full of gnarly riffs, a thumping low end and a snarling Stein, this one is a grower taking a few listens to fully appreciate it, but believe me this is 100% a banger. “Scorcher”, does what it says on the tin, sees the band going all out in a frantic and frenzied assault on the senses; driven by a masterful drum and bass beat the guitars row in behind with insanely fast riffs while Stein roars his way through this neck breaker, a savage track.
“Frozen Ground” explodes into life in a hail of riffs and pummeling drum beat setting Stein up nicely to spit out his lyrics with venom, while this is a speedster when it slows, slightly, around the chorus’ the groove from the kicking rhythm is deadly, Marc B and Mensh hit it out of the park again while the latter shreds with his solo, this is one of the standout tracks on the album. The album closes with “Unchained Angel”, a cover of the Nasty Savage track, sticking closely to the original and featuring Galletti as guest vocalist, a nice way to finish off the album
This is thrash at its finest, old school without being old!
Death Mask Messiah lands August 28th courtesy of Metal Blade Records.
Review: Conor
| Death Mask Messiah | ||
| Blinding Skies | ||
| Sin Bleeder | ||
| Eradication | ||
| Ravishing Waste | 3:54 | |
| Allocated Savagery | ||
| Serpent | ||
| Fratricide | ||
| Scorcher | ||
| Frozen Ground | ||
| Unchained Angel |
Exumer are:
Mem V Stein Vocals
Ray Mensh Guitar
Marc B Guitar
Alex Voss Bass
Jerome Reil Drums
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