It has been the survival of the fittest so they say, but it can also be referred to as the clash of the titans. However, not every high octane power surge is a major player in the ring. That leads me to my enigma regarding the American Thrashers of LICH KING. How come that these deranged dudes hasn't yet to climb the highest of mountains to become proud members of the Olympus of Thrash Metal? Maybe because they refused to evolve while being stubborn to remain as the older ones once were or maybe they just don't have what it takes? I can't agree with the second assumption as I have been familiarized with their music for years now and their old school sense never tired me. On the other hand I notice a twitch, a crack in their armor with their new album"Born Of The Bomb", released through one of the best places for old school Metal, Stormspell Records. Not that LICH KING didn't show their worth as always, but it seemed to me that a portion of additional creativity would have made a difference to this here album.

I would call LICH KING's music as the primitive method to produce Thrash as they have been sharing quite a lot with the Bay Area style of TESTAMENT, EXODUS and SLAYER, but in general, and "Born Of The Bomb" showed it well, they didn't seem to make the next step in this genre thus why not reaching the glory they so deserve. Most of the material here entrusted its whole with generic type of riffing, though I must admit that it made me bang my head more than a few times and in a way made me feel younger bursting with energy, and sets of Punkish speedy drumming. Furthermore, following their simplistic nature, once again the liches displayed their appreciation to the Crossover stuff venturing material in the valley between ANTHRAX and MUNICIPAL WASTE, though crossing towards the not so favorable Hardcore / Punk ends, I rather liked "Axe Cop" and especially "Fan Massacre" that seemed like an endless moshing with raspy yelping vocals and smashing riffages. As for the real Thrash, I wouldn't call it exactly pure as the liches smothered it with their loosen dosage of speed, I didn't go along with the fact that LICH KING decision to write sort of epic, METALLICA like, tracks like "Agnosticim" and another episode of the "Lich King IV (Born Of The Bomb)". Sure that for a rhythm fan like me it was a rather pleasant partake, but it seemed forcefully stretched, no need to broaden further. At least they composed some great memorable moments like the ones on "We Came To Conquer" where they paid tribute to the first ones before them but nothing prepared me for the menacing havoc of the great cover done for AGENT STEEL, "Agents Of Steel". I just wish that all of the liches' material would have sounded just like that. Great blistering shards of Heavy, Power and classic Thrash cramped under the same table feasting the flesh of those tarnished in the moshpit. A heck of a performance to a classic.

"Born Of A Bomb" is certainly not the top material crafted by this American gang, not in the standards of one of the giants. Nonetheless, these guys have a good angle, great sound that can be compared to the classic albums, and a wonderful nation to spread their music in. I believe that their next offering will be far superior.