No Nonsense Metal Reviews

  EXODUS: PERSONA NON GRATA         The Thrash Metal hierarchy has long been constructed around the mainstream success of the American "Big Four", dwarfing their peers outside of the clique with their mass popularity and stratospheric record sales. Thanks to bands such as Exodus, Testament and Overkill, a revolution has begun. The most recent releases from those bands comprising the Big Four have been good at best, while the latest albums from these previously mentioned outsiders have been breathtakingly excellent.    Persona Non Grata is a crushingly heavy slab of solid Thrash Metal. Gary Holt and fellow guitarist Lee Altus whip up a veritable storm of crunchy, Thrashing, whiplash-inducing riffs from start to finish. A superhuman barrage of drum battery is unleashed by Tom Hunting, accompanied by Jack Gibson's booming, thundering and raking bass notes. All the while Steve Souza sings, screams and snarls like a rabid and possessed vocal maestro.      Kicking off the album

  BRAINSTORM: WALL OF SKULLS       Brainstorm have been forging stunning Power Metal for decades now with no sign of rusting or wavering whatsoever. Their magnificent new album Wall Of Skulls is a masterpiece loaded with some of the catchiest and more memorable material that Brainstorm have ever unleashed.    The haunting chants and atmospherics that comprise intro " Chamber Thirteen " send a shiver down the spine, before " Where Ravens Fly " caries you away in glorious Power Metal fashion; fast, melodic and with soaring vocals.    Without a doubt " Solitude " is one of the most infectiously catchy and mesmerising songs on the album, with excellent vocals from the sonically beautiful frontman Andy B Franck and an abundance of wonderful riffs for good measure.    The double blow of " Escape The Silence " and " Turn Off The Light " which feature guest vocals from Rage's Peavy Wagner and Seeb Levermann  of Orden Ogan respectively is no