So here we are in 2012 at the peak of modernity, the dawn of a new age. The future is now so to speak. Albums are being recorded in an entirely digital fashion. Some bands don’t even need amps anymore, they just run Axe F-X through the PA. That being said, the first album I get to review in this new year is a thrash revival album. I guess this goes to show you that some genres are still able to strive and remain true despite musical trends coming and going at a seemingly perpetual rate. Savage Messiah definitely have classic metal elements to their sound, but luckily they do it rather well.

Savage Messiah are part of a recent wave of bands creating music heavily influenced by the thrash giants of the 80′s. But whereas some of their brethren have developed a dirty thrash sound more reminiscent of the American scene, these Brits have used influences from their homeland as well. This has helped them create a slightly slicker and more finesse-oriented style. I definitely hear some NWOBHM influences alongside some riffs and vocal patterns reminiscent of Testament, Slayer or Metal Church. This is definitely a traditional sounding metal album.

This band is definitely a guitar and vocal-driven. The riffs as a whole generally rock pretty hard while remaining musical and the lead playing is very good. The guitar solos, while still fast and attitudinal, have a musical direction to them that goes beyond sheer speed. There is an actual lyrical arc to them which is nice to hear in an age where mere flurries of passing notes are all the rage. The band’s vocalist, Dave Silver, who also handles guitar duties, has a great voice. His regular mid-range tenor voice sounds nice and melodic, but it’s his falsetto that really left an impression on my ears. While falsetto singing might not always be everyone’s cup of tea, I find that when the music has a certain low-end tone to it, it’s a vocal style that can have a great effect on a song. Silver’s falsetto tone reminds me of Rob Halford of Judas Priest, a band whom Savage Messiah cite as an influence. All in all I quite enjoyed the vocals on this record.

As far as the actual songs are concerned, Plague of Conscience benefits from good if somewhat cookie-cutter songwriting. The songs are well composed and arranged and the vocals are nicely layered, but there aren’t many songs that totally blew me away. Don’t get me wrong, there are some solid tunes on here with catchy choruses and memorable moments, they just aren’t particularly unique. One might argue that it’s a tall task to create an original thrash album, but I have heard albums in the past two years that prove otherwise. Revocation’s latest comes to mind.

The album opener and title track “Plague of Conscience” starts the album on an energetic note. The follow-up track “Six Feet Under the Gun” is probably my favorite track on the album if only for the way the riffs are constructed and arranged vis-à-vis the vocal patterns. “All Seeing I” has catchy hooks as does “Architects of Fear”. However, “Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt” comes off as rather cheesy and slightly uninspired. For the most part though the tracks are solid and will quite possibly have you banging your head more than once if you are so inclined. The production is also very clear and yet gritty enough to suit the band’s style very well.

In the end I found this album to be quite enjoyable. Although it may not be the most original sound I’ve ever heard, Savage Messiah achieve it rather well. If you like catchy hooks over traditionally themed metal music you honestly can’t go wrong with this.

Editor’s note: Download it for free right here!

3.5/5