Savage Messiah – Hands Of Fate.

It took a few spins of Hands Of Fate, the fourth studio album by Savage Messiah to get around their new change of direction, but it has still blown me away. Their heads down thrash metal has been honed down to a heavy metal groove with no loss of power and a jaw dropping vocal delivery from founder member Dave Silver. The only thing I could compare it to sonically was when Def Leppard upped their game from On Through The Night to their next release, High And Dry.

The album strides in majestically with the title track. It’s deceivingly laid back intro gives way to a grinding melodic chug, a menacing lead vocal and the first of many huge choruses throughout the album. It’s out with the air guitars as the monstrous riffage during ‘Wing And A Prayer’ builds up to a chorus that will have you singing it out full force! Finger blistering guitar solos and a killer chorus raise the bar high. ‘Blood Red Road’ is full of fiery riffing underpinned by some powerful snare patterns from Andrea Gorio. Buzzsaw riffing midway is kicked into touch by a face melting guitar solo. The heavy stomp of ‘Lay Down Your Arms’ eases back for a stratospheric vocal in the choruses with more over the top guitar solos. Melody with muscle perfectly describes the sumptuous ‘Solar Corona’, dominated by another showstopping lead vocal and intense harmony guitar lines.

‘Eat Your Heart Out’, the fastest track here is almost Kreator like with its speed and precision with added wrist snapping snare work in the choruses. ‘Fearless’ is a good way to describe their new direction as strong melodies, musically and vocally are backed by crushing riffs to keep the headbangers nodding. ‘The Last Confession’ is a split personality by a first quarter of slow, brooding grooves that heads off into full thrash metal, subsiding to an emotional outro. ‘The Crucible’ is a guitar overload of riffs, melodic fills and scorching solos which leaves ‘Out Of Time’ to close the album in style as it pounds steadfastly on a catchy but bruising main riff.

Hands Of Fate is currently available via Century Media Records.

Album track listing :-

Hands Of Fate.

Wing And A Prayer.

Blood Red Road.

Lay Down Your Arms.

Solar Corona.

Eat Your Heart Out.

Fearless.

The Last Confession.

The Crucible.

Out Of Time.

Savage Messiah band line up : –

Dave Silver – Lead vocals/guitar.

Sam S Junior – Guitar/backing vocals.

Andrea Gorio – Drums.

Mira Slama – Bass guitar.