German thrash act Exumer burst upon the metal scene back in the mid-80s and made quite a splash, but long periods of inactivity sees their latest release for Metal Blade, The Raging Tides as only their fourth album overall in such a long career. For those who reveled in the aggressive sounds of Possessed By Fire, Rising From the Sea, and Fire and Damnation, you can expect a similar vibe to the upbeat, thrashy attack of The Raging Tides. Nothing remotely original happening here of course, but the Germans sure know how to dish out classic thrash in the vein of Destruction, Kreator, Exodus, and Sodom, as evident by crushing, speedy rippers like "Brand of Evil", "Catatonic", "Sacred Defense", the rampaging "Welcome to Hellfire", and the immense "Dark Reflections". The guitar work of Ran Mensh & Marc B. is top notch, as the riffs are crisp & crunchy, and the solos wild, while the rhythm team of bassist T. Schiavo and drummer Matthias Kassner provide all the rumbling acrobatics underneath the guitar thunder. Vocalist Mem V. Stein has a similar snarl to Destruction's Schmier and Steve 'Zetro' Souza of Exodus, providing the perfect foil to the bands breakneck pace. Two bonus tracks are included here, with "Hostage to Heaven", a cover of the Grip Inc. mini classic, being the most successful, as Exumer rage through it with malicious intent, complete with fiery guitar riffs and solos.
Wonderfully satisfying & familiar at the same time, The Raging Tides is a fun thrash album by a veteran band who do what they do so well. If you love vintage sounding thrash metal, Exumer is the way to go folks.
Track Listing
1) The Raging Tides
2) Brand of Evil
3) Catatonic
4) Sacred Defense
5) Welcome to Hellfire
6) Sinister Souls
7) Shadow Walker
8) There Will Always Be Blood
9) Dark Reflections
10) Death Factory
11) Forever My Queen (bonus track)
12) Hostage to Heaven (bonus track)
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