Corrupting Influence

Some might say that this is just another thrash album, but I would like to disagree. No doubt that Prematory play thrash metal. Nevertheless, they vary their style in a number of different ways without denying their roots. The result is a seldom heard mixture.

"Hold My Breath" doesn´t remind me of genuine thrash classics. The gang shouts rather appear as a reminiscence to Biohazard in top form. Due to the quiet guitars at the beginning, the following mid-tempo riffing and the faster ending, the song is fraught with tension. "Sentenced for Life" goes in another direction. It offers short symphonic leads at the beginning before it picks up the pace. The keyboards that are used relatively rarely on this album dominate an unusual middle part. The subsequent thrash part abruptly slows down and the song fades out; a strong tune with power metal tendencies. Equally surprising is "Insignificance" because it plays with the expectations of those listeners who think that the first song after the intro has to be a cliched up-tempo number. On the contrary, it starts with an almost gently bass line that flows in a leisurely pace. Independently, the song constitutes a solid opener without being a highlight of this release.

The further tracks include a lot of unaltered thrash. They avoid monotony with the greatest of ease because of fresh riffs, mostly suitable breaks, and precise solos. The concluding title track, almost hidden on the final position, is an outstanding example. The vocals are vigorous, the backing vocals are used well while fast riffs keep up the speed before the song turns into a kind of mid-paced outro. The finally roaring guitars are vaguely reminiscent of the ending of Slayer´s fantastic "Hardening of the Arteries". Anyway, the last three songs seem to be a bit more aggressive than the rest and not only because of this fact they are among the best.

Prematory´s thrash is highly dynamic due to the tempo changes, the powerful backing vocals, and the double bass drum that is used effectively. Everything is put in the limelight very well by the succeeding production that fully meets the standards. That cannot be said about the very colourful cover. What does the artist want to tell us? I have no idea. I can just hope that this artwork does not deter thrash metal maniacs to check out this album because the music of Prematory is worth hearing.