Formed in 1989, Canadian Black/Death/Thrash Metal band ORDOXE lasted just a few years before breaking up, only to reform in 2006 with their debut release "Sorrick Ked Tho." They have released three LPs since then, the most recent being the supercharged dynamo that is "Beyond Mankind," released earlier this year.

Classic Black Metal forms the base of the band's music, but the album's crisp, crunchy guitars and clear production give it some noticeably thrashy undertones, which I have to admit work very well. Also, while the melodies and vocal approach, all larynx-shredding lines from the throat of Jean-François Jalbert, are primarily rooted in Black Metal, there are some heavier, more technical licks that creep in from time to time that have more in common with old school Death Metal. The riff around the 2:00-minute mark of the explosive "Obsessions" wouldn't sound out of place on a mid-period DEATH album, but what stands out most about such moments is that they flow seamlessly with the more MAYHEM-inspired riffs.  "Obsessions" is as exciting an opener as one could hope for, a great introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Without any disrespect to the other instruments, it's worth putting an emphasis on the sheer amount of awesome riffs throughout "Beyond Mankind," as each song tends to have at least one or two of them. I also like that the band haven't decided that they are too cool for solos. The leads on the album aren't overused, and add another interesting layer to the band's attack without going out of character. Songs like "A Travers Ses Yeux" and "Exiled Archangels" bring the hurt with blistering guitars and tasteful [enough] guitar licks. Elsewhere, the band bridges out from mere bombast on tracks like "Comes Forth The Night" and "From Chaos Are Born The Stars," making more use of melody, as well as using blastbeats to back guitar parts that are less outwardly vicious, creating a nice sense of contrast. "We Are Vermin" is another cool track that features a lot of the album's trademark venom and anger, but also slips in this neat, Traditional Heavy Metal-inspired lead lick a couple minutes in during a more mid-paced section before thrashing away again. The album closes out with "Samsara," whose technical riffing and epic atmosphere wrap things up nicely.

With razor-sharp riffs, boundless aggression and strong sense of songwriting, "Beyond Mankind" is a great record for those who are looking for something with the atmosphere and attitude of Black Metal but with more of a Thrash/Death Metal crunch. It's totally worth a listen for Extreme Metal fans.<