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Slaughter To Survive

      
         
         
         
     
             
Fatal Embrace are a thrash metal band from Germany founded in 1993 under the name Nosferatu but changed shortly after to Fatal Embrace. Releasing a demo in 1994 an touring for a year the band disbanded and reformed three years later releasing their debut album in 1999. Three more albums followed over the next ten years and their fifth album 'Slaughter To Survive' was released in 2015.    
             
The tone of the album is set by the chilling, haunting opening instrumental 'The Upcoming Cruelty' which is an apt description for what is about to be unleashed. With a duelling twin guitar attack and a furious thundering rhythm section 'Revelation' is out of the blocks and off at breakneck speed. With brutal gruff vocals in a similar style to Tom Araya (Slayer) 'Revelation' is an aggressive thrash assault. The assault gathers pace as 'Hellhounds' romps in and is relentless as it devastates all before it with its raw and aggressive nature. Guitars scream, drums thunder and vocals growl. Pace slows but heaviness goes up with 'Dungeons Of Dread', a staggering rage of aggression and hard hitting rhythms that will send you flying. Mid song launches into a furious and frenetic hyper speed thrash assault.    
             
'Enslaved And Fallen' is a mid tempo chug of brutality and force. The mosh pit will go crazy for this one...foot stomping, head banging and maybe, just maybe a wall of death too. 'Order To Kill' is two and a half minutes of out and out thrash metal, with blistering guitars and a rhythm section so brutal it's gonna smash your face in. Vocals growl and are so aggressive they are venomous in their delivery. 'Penetrate The Night' is more akin to heavy metal than thrash metal, but the brutal, rough and tough rhythm is still evident. It may seem odd that the band have chosen to cover a song from one of the icons of eighties American heavy metal, rather than a band from the thrash metal genre. But here it is, and it's bloody good too...'Stay Hungry' by Twisted Sister. Keeping close to the original, 'Fatal Embrace' carry off this cover as though it is one of their own songs. Played at a quicker pace with a more aggressive rhythm section and a vocal performance that is close to Dee Snider (legendary Twisted Sister lead singer) but with growl and venom.    
             
'Possession' is a chunky guitar driven, doom style, gruff stomp. Growled vocals and very heavy guitars make for a menacing feel to the song. 'Slaughter To Survive', the title song off the album has an awesome, attitude laden groove, yes I did just say groove, stop laughing...as the song begins, which is soon replaced by the raging twin guitar attack and rampant rhythms that Fatal Embrace embody and play so expertly. The sub three minute 'Captured In Spite' is a nuclear blast of energy that will destroy anything and anyone that stands in its way. It is brutal, aggressive and raw. Closing the album is 'From The Ashes', a barnstorming Slayer style romp of aggression and brutality. If you like the thrash metal that Slayer have delivered over the years, then you will love this album.    
             
Overall, aggressive and brutal, this album will devastate and destroy the airways with its rough and tough attitude, blistering guitars and venomous vocals.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Pure Steel Records    
             
             
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