Well, well, well? Here it is the album that keeps the flame burning. Death started it three years ago and now bands like Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse and Carcass are strenuously practicing in some garage and deafening drunken metallers in some dirty underground metal club in the south of the US.

Death continue playing their typical style - the most brutal of thrash of its time, verging on death metal, but not quite being it, maintaining the creative attitude guitar-wise, mainly due to Chuck's genius.

Still a very heavy album, it is more technical and so harsh in comparison to its predecessor "Leprosy". The roots of true thrash metal can be heard, as well as a change in the vocals towards the screaming style we are to hear on the later Death albums.

Another distinct sign for this album being thrash is not only the vocals, but their feeling. It is the aggression, the immense feeling of hatred, focusing on some words, sang in front of the mike. The deep sorrow and depression is what one feels, listening to the death metal grunting, while after "Spiritual Healing", there is a surge of power, that you feel and terribly need an outlet for, so crush one's head.

This album is quite an improvement from monotonous "Leprosy", being very technical, with a lot aggression and power in the vocals and being a whole book full of great, innovative and fresh guitar ideas. Upon those riffs bands like Bolt Thrower will build their style of music.

A great album, though not many people will be able to appreciate it, because so many bands have used those solos and riffs, it would sound like nothing new to someone who hears it now for the first time.

Rating: 9