Hail The New Cross is the 3rd release from Shatter Messiah and from the 1st note of the first song to the final note of the second last tune the playing on this album is absolutely and uncompromisingly brutal.
It will knock you to the other side of the room, pin you against the wall, and won’t let you move (not that you would want to… you want to give this your complete and undivided attention). The final and probably my favorite tune (no. 8 The Addiction) is the only exception to the rule, being a slightly more mellow affair but still in keeping with the feel of the album.
It’s always a difficult task to take your influences and combine them into something that sounds distinctly like you but these guys have done exactly that. Their sound has tinges of 80’s classic thrash and also Power Metal.
What I like most about this album though is that as well as being heavy it is still extremely melodic and will get you singing along to every song which is no mean feat!
There’s no (unnecessary ) fretboard heroics in the guitar solos and the vocals are clean but aggressive and delivered with conviction, which is exactly how I like my Metal seeing as I’ve never been a fan of the growling Vocals of most thrash bands.
According to the press release a couple of these guys were previously in the bands Annihilator and Nevermore, but don’t let this influence your decision about whether or not to listen to the album because they easily stand on their own and don’t need to lean on anything they’ve done in the past. If this album is an indication of things to come by this band I will certainly be interested in hearing more from them.
Shatter Messiah: Facebook
Release Year: 2013
Label: Mausoleum Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Chris Xynos
