The life-changing band that was too Metal for the Alternative and too artsy for the IRON MAIDEN crowd is back with a vengeance, and what an act of bloody revenge they crafted!!! Following the storyline of the intense debut, "River Runs Deep," this is a wicked conceptual masterpiece that equally invades your ears with pounding menace and cuddles your soul with serenity, balls, and poetry.

One of the secret weapons on this release is Veronica Bellino, who does for LIFE OF AGONY what Scott Travis did for JUDAS PRIEST in "Painkiller" or "Jugulator"; she added a massive double pedal dose, which put Metal back in forefront. Want proof? Check how abrasive Black Heart is; bass and double bass drums pounding as a well-oiled machine on this tune. Kudos to Mina Caputo´s delivery here, she goes from moaning to a pure Metal wailing, ala Sebastian Bach (The "I can´t take it, I can´t take it" line).

I´m not pulling any punches acknowledging LOA ´s Metal roots here, want more? Check the gang vocals on the aforementioned "Black Heart," and tell me it doesn´t remind the old New York Thrashcore of the early '90s. Also, taste the nasty riffs of "Lay Down" at the 2:43 mark, it exudes Hetfield and company, and man does this girl wail!!!! 2:52 same tune, fantastic! "Empty Hole" does what SEPULTURA is incapable of doing these last 23 years, a catchy, brutal, dark hardcore stomp. "My Way Out" has a KINGS X/ ALICE IN CHAINS crescendo and a Hardcore chorus. Sublime sticky Minor-to-Major chorus vocal line, those wicked intervals can trick your ear.

If I have to pick a favorite, I´ll go with "Eliminate"; it has all the house-trademarks; double bass grooves, Punk urgency, down tuned riffs, gang vocals (thank you Joey Z.) An almost Speed Metal hymn made for the pit, as simple as that. I´m a fan, I´m really non-bias with this band, get the record and play it till you scare your neighbors.

LOA is back, short and straightforward, Sylvia Massy (TOOL producer) handled the sound conditions for this elephantastic return. I hope someday they groove on their riffs here, in my convoluted South America.