What A Relief

Here we were thinking that good old-fashioned thrash metal was getting lost in the shuffle. Thank the lords below for Exumer. The Raging Tides, the fourth full-length from the German-based thrash heroes, sticks to what makes them a great band. Good, old fashioned, Thrash. Which is why the people were so excited about upon their reformation in 2001. Now armed with a new album that plays to the band’s strengths, it ensures their fans that they weren’t just a bunch of old guys playing for fun. They could be serious and still crush with the rest of them.

The opening riff on “The Raging Tide,” the album’s opening track, could’ve very easily come off of any Slayer album. It’s heavy, fast and filled with all the things that make great thrash. The riff won’t leave your brain long after the record has stopped playing. From there the songs bleed into one another; song after song is filled with crushing riffs that are so heavy your doctor will make you go get a neck brace from all the head banging.

Which is exactly how the band has remained relevant long after their initial break up and why their fans were so excited upon their return.

The Raging Tide tears along at an absolutely crushing pace.  Songs like “Sinister Souls” could easily make you mosh in your chair and play air guitar across the office floor. I mean, Kerry King could’ve written the solo in “Sinister Souls.” It’s fantastic.

“Shadow Walker” is the true gem on this album. Not to say that the other songs aren’t good, they are great, but this one is heavy metal hit. You cannot help but head-bang to it and raise a fist while it chugs along. Huge drums and a simply epic intro really bring the song together and create the atmosphere that Exumer is looking for on this album.

We can stop short of saying this is the metal album of the year, hell it is only Febuary, but this album is making a huge case. Each song on this album is a banger. There is virtually no lull and each song seems to go by almost as fast as it started. Whatever metal itch you have left to scratch, Exumer will help you scratch it until you are nothing but a bloody mess.