Those who read my reviews regularly must think I'm a very chauvinistic person. I come from Holland and most of the Dutch bands I review usually get a good rating. But believe me, if I do, then it is because it is really good and not because I hail from the low lands. The world-wide thrash/death revival can almost (I did say almost) be reduced to the Dutch thrash/death-revival. With good records from Hail of Bullets, Sinister, Legion of the Damned, Dead Head and a mini from Izegrim, thrash/death is hot. With Pestilence, God Dethroned and the new Thanatos to come, it looks like a never ending story.
And no matter how I tried not to be too positive about this release, I can't find anything to carp at. OK, they don't get on the same level as LOTD, but they come close. The riffs are simpler than LOTD uses to play them and also the songs vary more from each other. The mixes of old school thrash and death metal never sounded better on a Thanatos record. Stephan Gebédi grunts angrier than ever and with reason. With lyrics about the cruelties that happened during WWII, today's world leaders, religious fundamentalists and mass murderers you should not expect choir vocals. The band even put info with the promo to explain some of the lyrics. This, to avoid unnecessary controversy about them. It is just historical events or morbid fantasies.
Musically they lead you through fast aggressive death and tight grooving thrash parts. Personally I like the band the most when they play a bit more midtempo, then they really sound HEAVY. "Apostles of Damnation" even reminds me of Stephan's other band; Hail of Bullets. It is the slowest track on the record, but a very heavy one. That Thanatos knows where their roots lie, can be heard in the 2 covers on the album; "Dawn of Eternity" (Massacre) and "The Burning of Sodom" (Dark Angel) two very good examples of that.
Due to a bankruptcy of their (old) label back in 2006, they put the recording of this album on hold. I'm glad that the band decided to pick up their instruments again to finally finish this record and found Deity Down Records to release it. Also the production shouldn’t hold you back from buying this record, but what else could we expect with a mix from Dan Swanö.
Personal favourite: "And Jesus Wept", because of the (too short) nice tight riffing part.
