Band:	Nekromantheon
Album:	Rise, Vulcan Spectre
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	January 2012

01. Cast Down To The Void
02. Blood Wisdom
03. Embrace The Oracle
04. Coven Of The Minotaur
05. The Usurper Command
06. Rise, Vulcan Spectre
07. Twelve Depths Of Hades
08. Raised By Dogs

If only...If only Teutonic thrash didn't already exist. Yeah, this album is pretty outrageous when it comes to being relentless and energetic, but it's lack of creativity really turns things pretty hum-drum pretty fast.

Honestly, Nekromantheon definitely have a passion for what they do, that much is clear. In a sense, it is a pretty big re-hash album, borrowing a large amount from Slayer, with some rougher, knives-and-daggers edges from the Teutonic Thrash metal movement (namely Kreator). It's pure, unchained aggression with a lot of youthful exuberance. Hell, if Nekromantheon's predecessors weren't so apparent (as well as abundant), this would be one top-notch, vicious thrash album.

The problem is, these guys are playing with all heart, no head. It's music written with love for what they do, but no thought put into how to step forward with their own flavor. This problem is rampant, Nekromantheon are nothing new in this aspect, and if you've been paying the even the slightest attention to thrash over the past 6 years, Nekromantheon lack even that charming nostalgic value that many of these thrash revivalist bands have.

Granted, it's a lot fresher sounding than say, Ram. The passion behind Rise, Vulcan Spectre is genuine enough in its conviction to be worth a listen or two from time to time, but still not worthy of any "Best Of 2012" lists. If you've got your Warbringer, Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch, or maybe a little Evil Army on your Ipod, there's really no need to interrupt it with this.