This is the third release in a row for KILL RITUAL that I am reviewing for METAL TEMPLE. I rated the 2021 EP "Thy Will Be Done" with a perfect score, while I felt that the 2022 studio album "Kill Star Black Mark Dead Hand Pierced Heart" was a solid eight out of ten on my Metal-Appreciation scale. So, here we are again, with a new, seventh, studio album, which is called "In My Head". The band has had one line-up change in that period, which is that they have a different vocalist in comparison to the earlier releases. His name is Judas, and let's hope he's not a traitor like the one of some two millennia before.

Musically nothing has changed. Or hasn't it? well, yes, it is different, as the combination of Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal and Power Metal has shifted in such a way that the interaction between the three musical styles is more even steven than it used to be. I still wouldn't hesitate to call KILL RITUAL a Thrash Metal band, but the way that the Power Metal and Heavy Metal are interwoven makes the music on "In My Head" very easy to accept into your brain. I can say that the album title is exactly where the album has settled itself. Oh, and before you wonder, I can assure you that the enthusiasm, the energy and the intensity that is so typical of KILL RITUAL is still very much prevalent when you listen to "In My Head".

After some careful consideration I'm just starting to realise now that the differences between "Kill Star Black Mark Dead Hand Pierced Heart" and "In My Head" are there, but much more subtle than I first envisioned. I feel that the quality of the music has stayed the same, the sound and impact of it all is just as strong and the musicians know how they need to sound to get maximum effect. Like I mentioned before, the only real difference is the new vocalist Judas, and as far as I'm concerned, his voice is perfect for the way KILL RITUAL make music. Furthermore it is my opinion that musically the band have evolved in such a way that it will be easier for new admirers to step in, whilst those who already liked what KILL RITUAL did so far will be able to continue their admiration. "In My Head" is that good, yes.