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This was the debut album for British two-piece Born of Ire, a UK band made up of guitarist/vocalist Cal Lewis and drummer Duda, and it manages the near impossible in being a work of Thrash that stands out from the rest. The basic sound can be described as Justice-era Metallica crossed with Annihilator and Iced Earth, with all the energy and deceptive nuance that would imply, but it's all done with a novelty you don't often hear in the genre. This is due in no small part to Cal's top-notch guitar work, which goes for big, catchy riffs and precise solo work that would give Metallica in their heyday a run for their money. On top of that, he's a damn fine singer who can go from soft to rough as needed, and all of this is backed by the excellent skin-bashing of Duda. I'd list highlights but, fuck, I'd be better off just pointing at the album and asking why you aren't listening to it yet, as it really needs to be taken as a whole. That said, special mention must go to the 11-minute instrumental "At the Foot of the Mountain", whose epic scale and first-class musicianship will leave your jaw hanging.

It's not often to hear a Thrash band with this much ambition, and it's even less often that you see one pull it off. By taking older influences and using them to create an epic, individual sound, Born of Ire have proven to be just that, and I can't wait to see what they're going to do next. An excellent debut from a highly promising band.