Life L.T.D.

What would you expect from a greek metal band in mid-80’s? Not much I suppose, considering the limited/non-existent interest of the local audience for metal music in general those days, there were few to support the even fewer who dare to play metal. So how could it be that in this album we can discover some of the best ideas composed in international level?!?

It is because behind Thanatos Inc. was one man that was bursting with excellence. Nigel Foxx right after his departure from the legendary Flames put his energy to a personal band and delivered an epic album full of high powered compositions and brilliant guitars. If he was able to find a decent singer this album would be the equivalent of Manilla Road’s “Open The Gates”!

The production is a lot better than it was in Flames’ albums, not very good though as it burry some aspects of Johnny‘s superb drumming. The riffs and solos throughout the album are fast and complex (verging to thrash), supported by the very technical drumming and really thick bass lines. The songs are structured in an epic manner building atmospheres and releasing emotions and this could have been an 100% rated album if not for the vocals. The backing ones are really awful and the lead ones although with good intentions cannot live up to the compositions’ needs.

All songs are musically great as is apparent in “T 15” instrumental but the ones with fairly good vocals are “Suicide”, “Surveillance” and the life-altering “Aliens”. And even though they forced to change their name after this album Thanatos Inc. managed to achieve immortality with “Life Ltd.”, a definitely worth listening album that introduced a speed power/epic sound at a time that very few were able to do so internationally and noone else locally.