"Thee Almighty" and "Expiration Date" are two reissues from MIDEVIL. Coming from Cleveland Ohio in the USA, and formed in 1992, the "Thee Almighty" reissue comes with both the tracks from their first album, but also features their first Demo recorded in 1995, a year before the album. "Expiration Date" followed quickly in 1997.

The material on "Thee Almighty," with a few exceptions, has more than a passing resemblance to METALLICA, whom members of the band are self-confessed massive fans of, but there is also other influences there too. I can hear some NWOBHM in there as well, such as "My Sanity" with some very MAIDEN twin guitar work as other Thrash sounds, but mainly Poppa Het and the Bay Area boys first three albums.

Interestingly though the track "Life's Casualties " is quite different for the rest, with its keyboards and slower, almost balladic pacing, and time changes, different musical passages, makes a nice difference. The title track "Thee Almighty" and "Sinbound" are standout tracks for me. The distorted vocals on the former and the keys and twin guitar on the latter, which also has a bit of an ANTHRAX feel about it, elevate them above the others.  And whilst "Last Breath" is back to the similar feel of the rest, it does it in a superior way. Shame the same cannot be said for "Funky And The Melon" and "The Red and Purple Didi-ups". Guys please no, just no.

The tracks from the demo show how much progression was made from these to the album proper, but all the traits were there.  "Expiration Date" and "Hands Across The Void", although VERY 'TALLICA were a very strong songs.

"Expiration Date"

The Album kicks off with a short intro, before launching into a much polished version of "Expiration Date" from that on the demo. "This World" an "Hands Across the Void" similarly so, a much enhanced versions. Much like their beloved METALLICA, MIDEVIL's sound on this album has subtlety changed, whist still having the same DNA.  "Be Afraid" being a good example of this, as is "forced To Believe", which has a much more modern feel, my outstanding track on the album.

"The Nothingness" also surprises, with its acoustic intro, leading into an almost bluesy guitar passage, into a thrashy bit, and round and around.  This sounds like a different band from a different era.  The peddle driven guitar solo is amazing, funky and heavy, retaining the power of their drum sound.  If this was an example of where they may have gone next, I want to hear more of this!

The last two tracks are versions of the same track "Condoned", and personally I cannot hear enough of a difference to have the two version sat next to each other.  I thought I'd accidentally hit repeat.  And in any case it is very much a throw-back track after the superb previous one. Generally a progression in their sound, less reliance on sounding like "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets", and no god awful throw away tracks.