
Although they might not like to hear it, Pessimist has made me optimistic about the future of thrash metal. With all the anger and energy that is associated with this genre, Pessimist schools you on the finer points of face melting metal mayhem. They have a simple, raw approach that works all to well, if at first you don't peal layers off the face then crank it up a bit louder, faster and heavier! Tempered with this is a keen sense of melody where they let the guitars do the talking. From the blistering intro of "Trommelfeur" to the eerie and melodic "Prelude (Arm For War)" it is obvious that guitarists Peppi and Richie are the musical driving force that shapes the sound while vocalist TZ is the heart and soul. With a potent rhythm section that consist of the thumping bass of Sevi and the backbone of the band, drummer Raphi, Pessimist has all the talent needed to bring their massive sound to you and bring it hard and heavy. There is no doubt that a stiff neck will result from all the headbanging associated with this disc. It is what thrash metal is all about.
About the only drawback is on the last song "Another Day In Mania" where at the end of this very cool instrumental there is a very long silence before you hear a very meaningless bit of electronic goofiness. They would have been much better served to cut this crap off the album.
All in all it is still a very good dose of the kind of music that defies you to keep still. It is angry, it is snarling and it is a prime example of what thrash metal is and will be if Pessimist has anything to say about it.
Track listing:
1. Trommelfeuer
2. The Massacre of Nanking
3. Infernal Death
4. Prelude (Arm For War)
5. Call to War
6. Son of Satan
7. It's Time to Fuck (with Hate)
8. Death by Torture
9. Another Day in Mania