The Heritage

Protector's name typically roots them in the thrash metal genre as they are best known for their Kreator-meets-Sodom influenced thrash album "Golem" from the late 80's. Their early 'thrash' sound was a mixture of hardcore, (previously mentioned) German thrash bands and 80's death metal. In 1991 "A Shedding of Skin" found Protector embracing a somewhat American style of death metal similar to that of Pestilence's "Malleus Maleficarum." By 1993 death metal was coming into its own mainstream art form, thrash metal was 'out' and Pantera's groove metal was 'in'. Protector's final album "The Heritage" is an eclectic mixture of the bands previous death/thrash styles and features some successful modern (at the time) experimentation.

'Mental Malaria' kicks off the album with a blast, a galloping death metal song with double bass drumming and wailing guitars. The style and energy of the opening song brings to mind the frantic intensity of Insanity's "Death After Death" album. The title track nearly resembles Deicide's self-titled debut or "Altars of Madness" with it's jumpy thrash riffs and death metal breaks. Track five is where the album's momentum sort of hiccups, and the tone of the album changes. Up pops "Convicts on the Street" an anomalous song that combines a riff akin to Pantera's "Walk" with an otherwise classic death metal arrangement. The product is some kind of death metal influenced rock song that is actually pretty decent. It might be the only groove song you ever like... Protector never wrote (or sang) like this on any other song they released. As the rest of the album plays "Palpitation" shows a nice bit of epic "Coma of Souls" influence.

"The Heritage" is a successful death/thrash metal album, mixing the styles at a 75/25 rate. Putting on a Protector album and not getting the sloppy "Golem" style thrash might put off some fans, but if you liked "A Shedding of Skin" and "Urm the Mad" this album will make sense. Will this album please classic thrash fans? Maybe, if you're open to old school death metal. Will this album please classic death metal fans? Yes, apart from the groove song, this should find a comfortable spot in your old school death metal collection.