ALBUM REVIEWSREVIEWSTHRASH METAL

Greek four-piece SUICIDAL ANGELS have been reliable workhorses of the thrash scene for two decades now but haven’t really troubled the bigger stages yet. The music industry is complex and there are multiple reasons behind this, but one major contributing factor would have to be their rigid adherence to the thrash rules and a tendency to release overly similar albums. SUICIDAL ANGELS have some great records in their back catalogue, but they all essentially sound the same and there’s so little variation, they could have been released in any order and no-one would notice.



It’s immensely satisfying then to say that with their eighth album, they’ve finally decided to push the boat out and show that there’s more to them than four-minute mosh anthems. Profane Prayer is the best record SUICIDAL ANGELS have ever released. It’s still very much a genre piece, but this is engaging, exciting thrash metal which should impress even the most jaded 50-year-old DARK ANGEL devotee.

Not that this is immediately apparent when you first fire it up. The opening trio – When The Lions Die, Crypts Of Madness and Purified By Fire – are impressive enough, but they are SUICIDAL ANGELS sticking to what they know best. These are razor sharp, violent and catchy metal songs designed to trigger circle pits and they’re lots of fun, but they’re not surprising. Profane Prayer starts in an entertaining but overly familiar way, but business picks up when Deathstalker arrives.


This fourth track is an epic that instantly elevates the entire album. It’s a grand, cinematic song that’s noticeably longer than most of the others, with members of ROTTING CHRIST and NIGHTFALL contributing guest vocals. The variations in tempo and sweeping sense of scope make Deathstalker into a fantastic centrepiece and it’s complimented by another equally impressive song further down the track list. The Fire Paths Of Fate is a phenomenal closer; starting with an ethereal vocal and a big, stomping riff, it transforms into a lengthy, almost Biblical finale. Close your eyes while listening to this and you’ll see legions of damned wretches being forced to build pyramids, suffering under the whips of overseers while uncaring Gods ignore their pleas for salvation.

These two highlights leave such a positive impression that the rest of the songs feel more exciting as a result. The title track, the blistering Return Of The Reaper and the warp speed Virtues Of Destruction are predictably enjoyable old-school ragers and destined to keep chiropractors in business for the foreseeable future. Alongside their longer, more artfully composed big brothers though, they are serious shots of adrenaline and they help to maintain a fast, uncompromising pace.

Don’t be mistaken, Profane Prayer isn’t a massive, leftfield turn for SUICIDAL ANGELS and even in its more ambitious moments, it will be familiar territory for any of their established fanbase. However, they’ve pushed themselves further than before and as a result, they’ve written the best record of their career. For two decades they’ve supported more or less every single classic thrash band, but Profane Prayer is the first time they’ve felt like they’ve got a potential Album Of The Year contender on their hands. If KREATOR ever decide to hang up their boots, SUICIDAL ANGELS are starting to sound like heirs to their throne.

Rating: 8/10



Profane Prayer is set for release on March 1st via Nuclear Blast Records.

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