Released By : EBM Records
Genre : Thrash Metal
Link : https://www.facebook.com/prayersofsanity
Lineup:
Tiao – Vocals, Guitar
Angelo – Guitars
Carlos – Bass
Bruno – Drums
Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Confrontations
03. Too Much To Handle
04. Acid 51
05. Dehumanizer
06. Inside 4 Walls
07. To Kill Or To Be Killed
08. The Voice
09. Dark Passenger
10. The End Of All
The resurgence of retro sounding Thrash Metal over the last five or six years has seen many, many really good bands release albums that could have been classed as classics if they were released back in the genre’s hey-day. There’s been a handful that you would class as truly elite and hundreds of bands all fighting for territory in the next level down. With their second full-length album CONFRONTATIONS, Portuguese act PRAYERS OF SANITY throw their hat in the ring too.
Firstly let’s get the obvious part out of the way… CONFRONTATIONS is a classic-era inspired Thrash Metal album that never tries to be any more than it is. What this means is that there’s not really anything that you haven’t heard before going on here, but that being said the album is consistently good and will please fans of the genre without a doubt. I’m glad the band decided on a nice full production though as the bands that try and emulate the pasty thin eighties Thrash sound are the ones that I can’t really get into, unless they are flawless. The easiest comparisons here are bands like EXODUS, KREATOR and early TESTAMENT. There is the occasional part here and there that shows a more modern Groove Metal influence, but these sections are generally very brief and only add to the intensity. The heavier, gruff vocals are more of a modern-ish touch, but the shred-tastic guitar work and the palm-muted chugga-chugga rifferey harken back to the days of pure metal madness.
Like all good thrash albums before it, the standout here is when the band offers up something a little different. BEHIND 4 WALLS is a slower track that sees the band set themselves into a comfortable groove and the vocals take on an entirely different timbre all-together. Don’t think that this means that the song is a wimpy ballad though, think more along the lines of one of TESTAMENT’s best ever songs TRAIL OF TEARS, not quite in the same league of course, but pretty great all the same.
Thrash Metal fans have ridiculous pool of talent to choose from in this modern age, but don’t let PRAYERS OF SANITY pass you by if you can help it. This album offers up plenty of intensity and just the right amount of modern influence to ensure that the album sounds full and tough as nails.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 7/10
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