Fatal Embrace - The Empires of Inhumanity

Germany. Thrash metal. The terms seem interchangeable, yes?

Think of Sodom, Kreator, Running Wild, Destruction, Stormwitch (okay, thrash lite), and you have one hell of a sound that set the standard for today’s scene. Sure, we had Metallica, Exodus, Anthrax and Slayer here in the States, but something inherent in that German sound was just all-encompassing. Keeping in line with that sound is Germany’s thrashing machine called Fatal Embrace and its latest release titled The Empires of Inhumanity.    

The Eighties are alive and well and obviously feeding on steady diets of sauerkraut and sausage to keep such a tremendous amount of strength for such finely tuned thrashing. Once again the underground produces something a bit formulaic, but still very entertaining and heavy as all hell! The vocals are a gruffer Chuck Billy style, all the more interesting because no one seems bent on paying homage to his particular style…at least not very well. In a sea of Tom G. Warrior and Schmeir clones it’s a delightful change to hear something not death-growling over everything. You might even hear the occasional Mille vocal from the Endless Pain era in addition to a Tom Araya-esque scream. The map is pretty varied on this journey.

As for the music it’s galloping riff, sweeping segue ways, busting power chords ala the title track; it’s all the great blueprints for most thrash metal, but done efficiently and well enough to warrant repeated listens. “Empires of Inhumanity” has a Metal Church feel to it and switches the feel quite easily between clean tone somberness and crunching chord progression. These guys know what makes for a true metal album, leaving little in way of innovation, yet not becoming stuck in the murky swamp that is predictable convention. The cover of Maiden’s “Killers” is pretty good to boot, though vocalist Dirk Heiland is no Paul Di’Anno. 

For a thrash album of modern design the music is very elemental, but where most bands might fail to grasp the concept well enough to produce material worth hearing Fatal Embrace manages to light your way down that long, arduous hallway of metal bands past and present. An overall pleasant musical experience is had with The Empires of Humanity.       

*By clicking "Submit" you agree to the following Terms of Use. You agree not to post any material that is obscene, slanderous, or threatening, or that may violate any law of your country of origin or the United States or of international law. Should you wish to restrict viewing of your email address by third parties, you must select "Hide My Email." You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Metal Psalter from any claims, actions, suits, damages, or other costs arising out of any breach of these Terms of Use.

*Comments:

August 3, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Release Date: June 8, 2010
Label: Metal Blade Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Last Prayer (intro)
2.  Wake the Dead
3.  Nothing to Regret
4.  Haunting Metal
5.  Another Rotten Life
6.  Empires of Inhumanity
7.  Into Your Face
8.  Rapture for Disaster
9.  The Prophecy
10.  Way to Immortality
11.  Ravenous
12.  Killers
      (Iron Maiden cover-bonus track)

Total playing time:  48:25