After one demo AT WAR gained first attention with the two songs “Rapechase” and “Eat Lead”, featured on the "Speed Metal Hell" compilations. 1986 New Renaissance Records released the debut "Ordered To Kill" and as so often with this company, this album also had a pretty dumb sound.

Musically it contained solid, if unspectacular Speed/Thrash Metal with a lot of MOTÖRHEAD influences. They still did not break any speed records, they were fast, but in no way neck breaking. Variety was lacking, brutality, though, they had galore. War, death and a bit of violent sex were the lyrical domains of the band. One negative point was the use of the Adolf Hitler speech at the beginning of the otherwise great Thrasher "Ilsa (She-Wolf Of The SS)", but other companies already had problems with that in the past, such as CARNIVORE or TAROT. So I don’t interpret any weird views into the whole thing. Allegedly the song has only been inspired by a cheap porn flick. Other than that the title song and the a bit WHIPLASH-like “Rapechase” can convince the listener.

And the MOTÖRHEAD cover "The Hammer" also is performed adequately, so who does not expect any innovations and has a faible for straight “full force ahead” Metal, should consider a purchase. (Online July 9, 2006)