The necrocult from Chicago is here again. Usurper is one of my favorite bands than 90's vomit upon our face, because they have a lot of Celtic Frost influences in their music. They started back in 1994 when they released the Visions from the Gods  demo. After that we had the Diabolosis LP in 1995, the Threshold of the Usurper EP in 1997, Skeletal Season in 1999, Necronemesis in 2000 and Twilight Dominion in 2003.
There is a change of members for  Cryptobeast. Joe Apocalyptic Warlord is here again to torture the drum kit and Dan Tyrantor Lawson is the new vocalist after the departure of General Diabolical Slaughter. Don't worry because nothing has changed, musically. The new singer basically has the same voice with the previous singer and the well known growling screams are here too!
The basic influences of Usurper are Celtic Frost of course but also Slayer and Exciter in a more violent and aggressive way. Some riffs (like the beginning of Conquest Of The Grotesque) sound as if you are listening to Bolt Thrower's material. Usurper's music - during the years - has been driven into more classical Metal and the production is more clear.
Anyway,  Cryptobeast  kills and destroys everything in its path. If you listen to songs like Kill For Metal or  Return Of The Werewolf it is impossible to stay calm and not start banging your head with your spike-dressed fist upon the air! This is Usurper! Metal influences, Metal image and metal music. By the way, the whole layout of the CD is godly. These things have disappeared from today's Metal scene, which is full of rap clothing and shit like that! Neil Kernon did the production again and we also have here the remake of Warriors Of Iron And Rust from  Necronemesis .
OK, this is not their best album and I think that some songs (like Supernatural Killing Spree or Reptilian) could have been much better. But the Metal scene needs bands like Usurper because they can show to all new headbangers what Metal really is. Headbanging has just begun! X-tra fucking hellish yahooz to John Werewolf Lepper for reviewing Usruper! Ughhhhhhhh!!!