Savage Messiah may hint at anti-commercialism, but this British four-piece are in danger of becoming metal icons themselves. Beginning life in 2007, this band has gone from strength to strength, rapidly gaining recognition in the underground scene. Now only a mere two years after the release of Plague of Conscience, they return to unleash their third studio album on the world, The Fateful Dark (Earache Records).

Right from the outset, this album is a constant and savage attack of pure power infused thrash, with a strong dose of good old classic heavy metal thrown in for good measure. With every album this band seem to be raising the stakes, and this latest release is no exception. Where Plague of Conscience had one or two standout songs, The Fateful Dark discards anything that could be excused as filler for a constant ten-track assault, each song strong enough to hold its own. The album flits between genres, from the opening track ‘Iconocaust’ that throws us into a frantic clamor of thrash riffs, to ‘Hellblazer’ and ‘Cross of Babylon’ that show off some serious power metal posturing with their epic chorus lines. Even ballad ‘Live As One Already Dead’ has its merits, stripping back a lot of the guitar work and showing off the vocal progression David Silver has made since beginning the band.

Making a thrash album with such furious riffing can leave bands sounding clumsy, but The Fateful Dark shows these guys are tighter than ever, pulling it off without even the slightest hint of hardship. Crafted into a true beast of an album: mature, concise but with a distinct touch of chaos threatening with every riff and solo, a definite essential in any heavy metal CD collection.

Savage Messiah on Facebook

8/10

Caitlin Smith