From Tennessee hail Death Thrashers SHARDS OF HUMANITY, who are storming their local scene with a new scorcher, "Fractured Frequencies". Drawing from spectrums ranging from PESTILLENCE to the progressive nuances of DEATH, I'd like to think this album contains something for every fan of extreme metal.

"Fractured Frequencies" sits in the important spot of kicking off an album. What comes off as a precarious melody quickly translates into a brutal, frantic, unforgiving display of unadulterated Thrash. The arrangement of the riffs is ingenious, with numerous progressive nuances thrown in, and clearly prides itself on unpredictable progressions. No open-E chugging shall be had here. "Aphoticism" steamrolls into the thick of it, with some of the tightest-executed riffs found on the entire album. If you haven't noticed by now, what helps to make their music ticks, are multiple "fuck yes" instances of creative arpeggio boxes slotted into the riffs. At many points I was taken back to the olden days of NILE.

Astounding yet is "Species Ensared", the intro of which is pure excellence. A sound selection of glorious, DEATH-inspired riffs utter forth, with the song presenting a kind of heaviness different to previous tracks in smart transitions from blistering walls of sound, to thundering grooves. Clearly, the band has an affinity for evoking a wide array of aural assaults; the lengthy "Suspension" rides on the back of some grooves that remind me sweetly of CARCASS and INVOCATOR. This may well be the greatest track on the album, a true testament (pun absolutely intended) to their talent for including as many stylistic facets into what can often turn out to be a bland genre.

Keeping this band's music above a sea of vapid creativity are the sonic treasures that are their riffs; if your band's arrangements are causing you to stand out, you are most definitely on the right path.