Thrash is something of a taste and texture unknown, a substance whose existence is as much a mystery as its enthralling captivation-ASCENDOR traces this vein of music perfectly, though of course with their own interpretation and emphases. Circle Of Violence, the band's 4^th album, throws classic horror and movie monsters for a spin under the catharsis of Thrash.

Starting off the LP is the track, "Silver Bullet," whose name alone immediately lends ideas of werewolves to the listener's mind however, the actual direction of the lyrics and music leads to the idea of duality and the timeless conflict of man vs. man. Forever linked to Boris Karloff Frankenstein's Monster is an ageless horror; the haunting and larger than life demeanor is illustrated quite well in the song, "The Creation," which details his dismal ascension from the grave-such a striking inclusion that his visage even managed its way onto the cover of the album. The title track and first single from the album, "Circle Of Violence," sounds as a headbanging classic lending its strength in this regard to relentless drums and a simple but powerful riff. The song speaks of man's evolution into a beast, a creature of horror beyond imagining by paralleling the malign and sinister elements of the human condition with the macabre elements of horror. "Creatures Of The Shadow" begins with a Skater Punk kind of riff though quickly changes to a standard Thrash progression for the verse-the song tells the story of those suffocated of light and surface life, denizens of the deep whose life revolves around death and discord, given the band's location I would have to wonder if the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum played any influence is the song's lyrics.

The instruments have a great fidelity to them considering the genre, though not too well polished that the music sounds as something posh and manufactured. The guitar work is by some manner simple and refined nonetheless, the overall tone is powerful but a bit tinny and removed almost like it was a recording of a recording, albeit with a very good mic. The bass is powerful and elegant weaving in and out of rhythms with its own subtle progressions. The drums are punchy and tight bringing the whole of the menagerie of instrumentation together with ease. Lastly, the vocals are form fitted to the music to both drive the song and provide a gritty juxtaposition over the thrashing instruments.

ASCENDOR manages to deliver a solid album with little flaws that leaves the listener greatly inspired and headbanging the whole way through. For fans of Thrash or Metal in general which sounds timeless and pure, Circle Of Violence, delivers on all fronts.