Missouri based Death/Thrashers ARES KINGDOM have been plying their brand of speed driven, violent music for close to two decades. Over the course of that time, this trio have produced some great music made up of great riffs, killer drumming and brilliant vocals. And their latest record, "The Unburiable Dead", is no different. This is a strong piece of music, which takes us through slower, more measured songs, through the sort of frenzied wall of guitars, drums and vocals that have made this kind of music so popular.

"Ubique", the song which opens this album, is a really strong, groovy track that wears its Thrash influences on its sleeve. There's plenty of great riffs and general hooks thrown into the mix that help to keep this near eight minute long behemoth interesting throughout. It has a really thick, tight production which really catches your attention right from the albums opening notes. Overall, this is a really good piece of Death/Thrash, and a great way to start this record.

"Nom De Guerre" complements the last tracks slower, more measured approach by being far faster and fiercer. This is arguably one of the most aggressive tracks on the whole record, driven by juggernaut drumming, hideous, tar-like vocals and razor sharp, cacophonous guitars. It raises the bar, both musically and in terms of extremity, and there aren't many points where this track is topped. "Salient And Redoubt" begins with the sort of drum beat that wouldn't sound out of place in a Hard Rock song. When the song kicks in properly, however, it couldn't be further from Hard Rock; it's got groove-laden chugs and vicious hooks that it's practically impossible not to like, and some really great vocal performances. "Demoralize" starts to pull in some more technical elements, with some of the instrumentation illustrating that these guys are all gifted musicians. It very quickly speeds up, and the bulk of the song is made up of some really excellent Death Metal. Towards the end of the track, there's a really good, melodic guitar solo that helps bring the song to a climax perfectly.

"Writhe: Fettered To A Corpse", is another great, mid-tempo track with plenty of memorable Thrash riffs coupled with heavy Death Metal flourishes and powerful, Punk-esque drumming. It's an instrumental track, and this works to the songs benefit, as it allows the music to take centre stage and get the attention that it deserves. The penultimate, title track on this album, stands out for all the right reasons on this album. It opens on a much softer, cleaner piece of music, and once the main part of the song kicks in, it's made up of some really strong, rhythmic guitar lines that move at a relative crawl by comparison with some of the other tracks on this record. There's some more melodic touches added to the music, and the vocals have an almost sing along quality to them at points. This is certainly one of the best tracks on the record, and sets the listener up nicely for the final offering.

That final offering comes in the form of "Stultifera Navis (Armistice And League)", a sprawling and monolithic track that is the longest song on the album, nearing the eleven minute mark. It's a good track, but it's not the sort of song that helps end this album with a loud, impressive bang. Do not get me wrong, it is still a great song, but it doesn't quite hit the spot and bring this album to a close in a way that leaves you eager to hear more.

Nonetheless, this is a very solid album with some great music on it. It's got everything you expect from Death/Thrash; speed, aggression, tight, heavy riffs, acerbic vocals and varied drumming. There are plenty of moments on here that will also likely appeal to fans from outside the confines of this scene, from melodious leads to frenzied drums that drive the song forward, so I would definitely recommend this to fans from across the Death and Thrash Metal spectrum.