GOMORRA hailing from Basel, Switzerland were formed in 2019, whereas most of their members formerly played at GONOREAS. The Heavy and Thrash Metal outfit released so far one EP and one full-length album. Their sophomore album "Dealer Of Souls" was recorded by V.O. Pulver (BURNING WITCHES; DESTRUCTION; POLTERGEIST) at Little Creek Studio, and mixed and mastered by V.O. Pulver, Damir Eskic, and Schmier (DESTRUCTION). It has a length of almost 49 minutes, and it was released via German Death, Thrash, and Black Metal specialists Noble Demon.

The album starts with a dark, guitar driven instrumental, introducing a grim atmosphere which transitions into "War Of Control" that starts with flesh-ripping guitar riffing entering the mid-tempo verse part. The classical Thrash Metal riffing is accompanied by traditional harsh Thrash Metal vocals, which cover most of the vocal range but utilizing mostly the medium end with some tonal shifts towards higher pitched notes. I have no doubt that "War Of Control" will become a fan favorite as it is an old school Thrash Metal song. It is also the official video release with the YouTube link given below. "A Chance For The Better" starts with a short drum solo, which is joined by powerful guitar riffing. The verse parts have a lot of aggression in the riffing, drumming, and the vocals. While the vocals use mainly medium tones, there is a shift to higher notes for the chorus part. There is a lot of background vocals that are highly pitched, giving the track a few classical Heavy Metal vibes. In fact, a few of the vocal notes sound Rob Halford inspired. The chorus parts are a bit more melodic, and aggression is eased off a little bit. Highlight of "A Chance For The Better" is the contributing lead guitar solo.

"Stand United" has a powerful start with tight guitar riffing and the Heavy Metal vibes continue. Jonas Ambühl has vocal support by BURNING WITCHES front woman Laura Guldemond and the duet of both is the highlight of the track. "Stand United" is a song with catchy riffing and epic melodies and one of the best songs on the album. While the sound of "Stand United" leans more towards Heavy Metal, "Dealer" is surely a thrashier song. It has a fast and heavy start with the riffing and the lead guitars. "Dealer" is a fast, direct, and aggressive song at mid-tempo during the verse parts and at crazy speed, with staccato-type of riffing and crunching bass lines during the chorus parts. "Dealer" is another one of my album favorites. "Isolation" starts with a melodic guitar part and transitions into a head-banging mid-tempo verse part. It has a bit more complexity in terms of the riffing and the melodies, while rhythm and tempo is kept unchanged. The vocals perform once again the tonal shifts from medium notes during the verse parts to highly pitched notes during the chorus parts. Highlight of the track is the extended lead guitar solo.

"Green Gold" is a track at a measured tempo with catchy, almost sing-along melodies during the chorus parts. While it cannot keep up with the aggression of "War Of Control" or "Dealer", it has more the "Stand United" vibes during the verse/chorus parts. That all changes a bit during the break as GOMORRA crank up the heat with heavy riffing, aggressive drumming, and another excellent lead guitar solo. "Lost In Darkness" has a slow and ballad-esque start with the verse parts and transitions into an epic chorus at a measured tempo. Jonas Ambühl uses a few deeper notes during the verse parts, which at least I needed to get used to. As "Lost In Darkness" is in principle the album ballad, it includes a lead guitar solo with epic melodies. The sound of "Rule Of Fear" is in stark contrast to "Lost In Darkness": it is a fast and aggressive song with lots of double-bass drumming, crushing bass lines and sharp guitar riffing. There are changes in rhythm and tempo between the fast verse parts and the mid-tempo chorus parts. The extended lead guitar solo is direct and fits perfectly to the sound.

"All Is Lost" is another one of the faster songs on the album. It maintains the Thrash Metal vibes of "Lost In Darkness". The vocals include a lot of medium notes with only a few higher pitched notes added to it. The song contains a lot of different textures with changes in rhythm and tempo. Highlight of "All Is Lost" is again another excellent lead guitar solo. The album finishes strongly with "End Of The World". It is a mixture between a fast song with galloping rhythm during the verse parts and a track at measured tempo with epic melodies during the chorus parts. It also includes a slow bridge transitioning into the aggressive mid-tempo part for the lead guitar solo. "End Of The World" is a very good way to end the album.

GOMORRA deliver a very good album. "Dealer Of Souls" is predominantly a Thrash Metal album with a lot of traditional Heavy Metal elements. The more aggressive Thrash Metal parts and the more epic Heavy Metal parts are excellently mixed. Highlights are the riffing, the lead guitars, and the versatile vocals keeping the sound very well together. The songwriting of the album is very mature and provides a unique GOMORRA sound. The album is very well produced. With "Dealer Of Souls", GOMORRA raise the bar and are set to become a serious Thrash Metal force in the future. "Dealer Of Souls" is one of those albums that should be part of the collection of Thrash Metal fans.