First thing noticed while listening to this album was the Production clear, having mass volume but equally sharp, carrying the 80s Thrash Metal ideals but also was relevant to what the young metalheads of today wish/command. Reading that Chris Tsangarides (ANGRA, EXODUS, HELLOWEEN, THIN LIZZY, JUDAS PRIEST, Y&T, ANVIL and half the winning team of 80s/90s Metal) took over this duty just confirmed an initial thought, while processing the data for the quality of this debut SAVAGE MESSIAH full-length.
The British thrashers had released the Spitting Venom EP in 2007, refining their moniker from HEADLESS CROSS to SAVAGE MESSIAH in the midst of some lineup changes. Insurrection Rising came two years later to confirm the outfit's relevance to the Thrash Metal resurrection (but not only!) occurring the last years in -among other countries- Great Britain. Vocalist Dave Silver's voice/singing style shall probably bring Dave Mustaine or/and Chuck Billy to mind, thus playing with both vice and melody in his performance. The guitars work is excellent, in addition. There's great chemistry between the two players, exchanging riffs and leads while dual harmony tornados are in the game, too. The rhythm section fits fine, too, raising speed where needed but mainly focusing on the more technical US Thrash ideals.
The music is not that addicted to the 80s legacy, again said. Of course, enough trademark patterns are obvious but -I think- SAVAGE MESSIAH has put lots of effort into the transition of the base of their songlist to something more personal and fresh. This is something necessary to be said, since -as seen- the revamped Thrash Metal typhoon has gradually been divided into the 100% full power 80s-addicted maniacs and the more skeptical acts trying to match the legacy of the past with the sparkle of this decade (or -at least- the 90s). Well, I think that this blossoming quartet stands somehow in the middle of this charade, bearing in mind the do extend their playing to the modern Heavy Metal field, too.
Insurrection Rising is not easy to be analyzed as assumed. Avoiding elegantly to feature a collection of sound-alike songs and -in opposite- exposing some serious work made in the songwriting filed, I think this album is a critical weapon to persuade one's enemies for the class of Thrash Metal music as a genre. Fans of the American side of Thrash (METALLICA, TESTAMENT, some of ANTHRAX, DEATH ANGEL) plus followers of the new generation (HAVOK, some of EVILE, AMOK) will probably spend good time with this CD and shall not be disappointed. A heavy, thrashin', fast, technical, wise album indeed.