Have you ever dreamt of a time machine trekking back to an era in which you can be the witness on a bright part of history, the blossoming of the very Heavy Metal itself? The Brits of RISEN PROPHECY are no exception. Five years following their debut release "Screaming For Death", their latest full-studio album "Into The Valley Of Hinnom" not only perpetuates the quest for the roots of the early 80s Thrash Metal but also blends it with - among other elements - a particularly enchanting Progressive touch, all within the inviting mystery of Biblical-themed lyrics, art cover and reigning mood.

Spanning on roughly half an hour of classic thrash, "Into The Valley Of Hinnom" interestingly takes up with a Progressive-like intro emphasized by a dramatic string ensemble, prior to a submersion into the very essence of Thrash with assertive vocals miming a theatrical/oratory performance and even semi-growling at times, a vibrato à la BRUCE DICKENSON as well as nostalgic backing vocals yet with even more elaborate drums as heard on "Brood Of Vipers", a raw 4/4 sonic display of various passages ranging from palm-mutes to tremolo, from loose to condensed and vice-versa, ornamented here and there by glowing solo fragments before the bigger cake toward the end.

The course of the album is essentially marked by unexpected turns of events, pretty much the main feature of a Progressive Metal record all while coated with a Thrashy furniture even at the ratio of 4/1 for the latter. Otherwise, epic hints pop here and there as in "Knowing Nothing" with exquisite drum rolls and an abrupt kick-start of vocals seeming pretty much into the mood of swift arpeggios accompanied by tricky kickass bass for you to brace yourself. And while I wish the epic drumming instrumental passage could go on and on, the tap solo turned the whole thing into a synth-ish effect - lengthy and acid-drenched - pillared by jolly yet belligerent vocals at once, thus generating a genuinely epic track (with both meanings of the term!)

Constructed upon minimalistic yet compelling riffs, "To The Wolves" harks back to a modern "Ace Of Spade" by MOTORHEAD, highly-spirited and catabolic despite my reservations about the high-pitched vocal overdub seeming a bit strained except for some points where it nails the whiny distinctive sound of what an Old School Rock vocalist incarnates, not to forget the flawless unison of bass and drums ruthlessly going ballistic toward a sturdy solo and a first-class headbang.

Concise and additive-free, "Into The Valley Of Hinnom" is a record that comes down to the basic structure of empowering the vocals and providing a decent chordal/tremolo/palm-mute accompaniment as a cornerstone. The eponymous track is actually the one that sums it up best and further digging deep into the more firm vocal-based roots all whilst delving into the most atmospheric moments on the record, an interlude of harmonic notes on the guitar and emphasized bass, further appointed by the epic drums triplet beats and explosive crashes. And despite the relative lack of overall creativity, such a technical dexterity best formulated through the solos is undoubtedly the biggest asset for RISEN PROPHECY, as the main Thrash Metal indisputable requirement is an accomplished solo guitarist all ready to rock!

The golden era syndrome -having been surrounded with a pejorative connotation- is actually affecting much more folks that you may ever think. And while some jump to complaint about the uncontrollable mitosis of bands dwelling on the past, RISEN PROPHECY isn't merely another "cover" band to what was. It was a pleasurable journey worth being enhanced and expanded!