Though not a six year hiatus like the wait between their debut and follow up the excellent Condemned to Suffer, the three year wait for the All Out War’s third album is over, and the line-up issues that seem to cause the band’s less than prolific offering, seems to have been settled with much of the bands original line-up returning to the fold. And it shows.

Plying the same metal edged form of religious themed (not Christian), seething hardcore (think Kreator and Slayer meets Hatebreed) that’s not unlike Walls of Jericho or Watch Them Die, All Out War are masters of snarling, hackle raising, growling hardcore that’s the sonic equivalent of a dog fight (that’s a METAPHOR Mick Vick if you read this-don’t get too exited).

The 11 succinct and ferocious tracks range from your typical, runaway train, machine gun drummed assault (“Curtain call for the Crucified”, “Behind the Crescent and the Cross”, “Initada (Angels of Genocide)” and “Bow to the Hypocrites”) which seem to highlight a far more caustic thrash metal sound without veering into sugary American Metal cliches to slower, meatier tracks like standout “Glorified I Deceit” and the title track. All the tracks are laced with Mike Score’s acidic rants about all sorts of atypical apocalyptic themes and rendered with a gritty but sharp production that’s far more focused on pure metal rage than hardcore chug.

It’s good to see a release like this on Victory; it’s pure, it’s honest and it’s scathing without one iota of care for scenes or trends, just bitter, biting metal that won’t crack Billboard sales, but might split a few skulls.

[Visit the band's website]

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