From CMX to KORPIKLAANI, Finland has always had a strong Hard Rock and Metal pedigree, producing countless great bands over the years. I can't say I had considered the little known PRESTIGE to be one of them, until now that is. "Reveal the Ravage" is the first album of new material from the band since 1991's "Parasites In Paradise," which I checked out and found a little clunky to be honest, so going into this I was unsure of what to expect. What we have here is a banging slice of classic 80s style Thrash Metal, but with quality 21st Century production. They have really updated this sound for a modern audience in the same way we have seen bands like ACID REIGN do recently. Featuring three quarters of the original line-up, the band has scored a major coup in acquiring the immense talents of Matti "Matson" Johansson, formerly long term drummer of Folk Metal giants KORPIKLAANI.

First track "Innocent" sets the tone for the whole album. This is absolutely break-neck stuff, Thrashy Punk guitar riffing, and brutal double bass pedal work attack the senses immediately. Aku Kytölä's throaty but excellently controlled roar is more than ample enough to make itself known over the relentless onslaught from the backline and like most tracks on the release, at under 4 minutes the piece is concise and does not overstay its welcome.

"Blessed Be" gives a little more space to the guitar work, allowing lots of precisely executed guitar breaks and solos, as the song lurches from furious thrashing to melodic breakdowns, with the quite unique sounding chanting backing vocals that can be found on most tracks on the album.

"Pick Your Poison" has a classic Speed Metal riff that owes a lot to METALLICA, a comparison that seems trite considering the vast influence the band has had over all things Metal, but it is what it is, it sounds like a Hetfield riff and that is by no means a bad thing.

"You Weep" is a stand-out track from the LP, with the guitars coming on like Scott Ian at his most riff-tastic, and Kytölä's vocals given their own room to shine here as the music regularly drops out leaving us with his viscerally angry vocals shaking the room.

Matti Johansson's skills are leading the way with "In Remains" this is some of the fastest and most precise drumming you will hear, the man is an absolute machine and whilst he was always fantastic in KORPIKLAANI he was never really given the opportunity to show off everything he can do, which is a lot. This guy could have given JOEY JORDISON a run for his money, and that is said with no hint of hyperbole. The theme continues through the breathless "Ready?," a pumping festival ready track with its cries of "Are You Ready?!" this is dying for a live audience to eat it up.

The album draws to a close with the luscious "Prime Time" which begins with some classically inspired guitar work, as Johansson builds up to a crescendo with some military sounding snare rolling, Kytölä's vocals almost threaten a melody as the song weaves through chants, and chilled out breaks and back to melodic guitar riffing.
"Reveal The Ravage" is an angry album, it's wild and feral but with a finely tuned killer instinct, the album hunts you down and drags you into its jaws. The band is firing on all cylinders and the long break seems to have given them all time to thoroughly hone their skills as musicians which are now substantial. The faultless production really puts the icing on the cake, this one comes with my strongest exhortation to check it out, and do it loudly.