Are you also some kind of Thrash Metal freak, who still adores the first SLAYER records and gets teary eyes from the debut works of DARK ANGEL, EXODUS, POSSESSED or the first three DESTRUCTION, RAZOR and SODOM efforts? Do you have never heard of terms like Neo- or Groove-Thrash? Then watch out for this!

FATAL EMBRACE play exactly the kind of Thrash, you're dreaming of. When I say Old School, then it is Old School! But there are also people who think that the first THE HAUNTED album is Old School. Anyway, this is rough, sometimes primitive but always original Thrash Metal like the gods in their early days. What those old men aren't able to write today is exactly the music that "Dark Pounding Steel" delivers. A smasher like "Storming In My Mind" is a rarity these days and "Don't Sacrifice My Soul" sounds like "Dead Skin Mask" from SLAYER, coincidently or not. I believe it's intended because there are more moments like this.

FATAL EMBRACE like to quote others and there's not much room for individuality. Almost every riff, passage or even chorus has some kind of dejavu effect; one always thinks that this is heard all before. But their credo seems to be that the past wasn't wrong so why don't do it still today. It's not necessary to say that these guys don't like any trends or modern effects. This album is fun and it's a perfect party album, complete with your air guitar but the classics have already been written, that's out of question. But it's nice to see a band that still has the Thrash flame inside!

(Online April 4, 2007)