Exumer - 'Fire & Damnation' (metalblade) 4/5

Back in the mid 1980's when thrash was young German outfit Exumer were amongst the leading light in the genre. then after two critically acclaimed albums and  numerous tours the band folded in 1990. There was a one off festival appearance at the 2001 Wacken festival, then in 2008 they reformed, and since then have been gigging world wide whilst preparing for this, their first album in 24 years.

So was the wait, just shy of a quarter of a century worth it? Well listening to this one makes me feel like its 1986 again, and that is not a bad thing. Basically F&D is a ten track cakewalk back to those heady day. Cuts like Fallen Saint, Vermin of the Sky (my fave cut on offer) and Devil Chaser are all sweet old school thrash workouts. Not particularly fast or aggressive by modern standards, but still dripping in 1980's style brutality menace and power. Vocalist Mem V. Stein snarls and barks out his bile and anger like a good un, the guitars of HK and Ray Mensh churn, thrash and shred like a pair of Glasgow razor boys at chucking out time, and the demolition crew rhythm section of T. Schiavo and Matthias Kassner drive the whole thing on like a rogue bulldozer. Good stuff, good stuff indeed.


OK, so this album sounds like Exumer sounded back in the day. And there is nothing wrong with that, so often a classic thrash band will try to reinvent themselves for a modern audience and fuck up big time (at this point I will enter into evidence Onslaughts 'Shadows Of Violence' album). Furthermore these days sounding like a classic 1980's thrash band can be an advantage, there is a big revival in retro rock going on at the moment as the youth of today are rediscovering the classic rock and metal of the 70's and 80's; and therefore there is a whole new audience out there just waiting to be 'Exumed'.


Pretty damn good


For fans of... Slayer, Onslaught, English Dogs, Testament, Megadeth etc....

Blessed By A Broken Heart - 'Feel The Power' (Tooth & Nail) 4.5/5

Canada's Blessed By A Broken Heart are a band who have come along way since their metalcore debut inspired debut album back in 2004, slowly changing over each release until we have this one, their third studio opus.

Now as I've said before in this review blog, my metalhead was fixed on in the 1980's, inspired in equal measures by the NWOBHM, the thrash explosion and the hair metal outfits of the time.  And its from the later wicket that BBABH are now batting. Playing this one through I can't help but notice the thumb prints of Dokken, Quiet Riot and Ratt all over it, and I for one aint gonna moan about that.

Kicking off with the gloriously Dokken fueled Deathwish and the Ratt influenced Shut Up And Rock, this one had me wondering if I could still get away with wearing spandex and bullet belts and if the girlfriend would object to me getting a bubble permed mullet. It's damn infectious, expertly played, packed with feel good rock and roll attitude, produced perfectly for the genre and has immediately become a bit of a fave of mine.

Tracks like Holdin' Back For Nothin', Rockin' All Night, Scream Like You Mean It and Sleepless Nights boogie past in a glorious parade of the best of LA circa 1987, as hats are tipped to the likes of Motley Crue, Poison, Cinderella and the rest. But there is something deeper going on here in a few places such as on the track Love Nightmare the ghost of this bands hardcore past lifts is head to remind us that BBABH have a certain fire so many of the other 80's rock revivalists often lack.

Over this is a great record, highly listenable and is a worthy addition to the current crop of 80's revival albums that are around at the moment

Highly Recomended

For fans of.... Black Veil Brides, Halestorm, Ratt, Dear Superstar etc......