Greek thrashers won a European contest held in conjunction with several of the continent’s biggest metal publications, thus their NB debut (second full-length overall). Comparisons to Slayer and early Sepultura (by industry insiders like Kreator founder/guitarist Mille Petrozza) don’t come easy, so might be worthy of a listen or two. Pretty standard thrash (nothing new, yet beyond competent), with a lyrical standpoint closer to black metal: vehemently pissed at organized religion.

Of the Germanic Big 3, sound comes closest to Destruction. The Hellenic Mantic Ritual, if you will. Despite English being a second language and the intensity of the delivery, words are clearly enunciated. Nice ride cymbal and shredding guitar break in ‘The Pestilence Of Saints’. The hushed/spoken whispers of lyrics are at the forefront of ‘Inquisition’. Speed, you want speed, try ‘Lies’, the entire disc whisks by in 38 minutes (11 songs, although ‘Mourning Of The Cursed’ is a 1:55 instrumental locomotive clickety clack intro into ‘Dark Abyss (Your Fate Is Colored Black’).

Given the last contest ‘winner’ the Nukies signed (Swashbuckle), you’d think they’d sworn off such gimmicks to expand their roster, at least Suicidal Angels isn’t an embarrassment.