Band:	Exarsis
Album:	Sentenced To Life
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	November 2020

01. Cen$ored
02. Another Betrayal
03. The Truth Is No Defense
04. Aiming The Eye
05. Mouthtied
06. The Drug...
07. Against My Fears
08. One Last Word
09. Interplanetary Extermination
10. New War Order

Guilty.

Three years after New War Order return one of the more prominent names in the Greek thrash scene; Exarsis have made a reputation for themselves in a surprisingly cramped local scene that has produced some talent that you overlook at your own expense. Sentenced To Life is the band's most accomplished album to date and sees the band provide the polished finish that had been lacking on prior releases.

Producing original ideas and content in thrash in the year of 2020 is akin to The Simpsons trying to remain entertaining and inspired thirty-one years on, so yes, much of the album will come off as cliché and reheated. While non-thrashaholics will take that as their cue to leave, those of you who don't care about this or enjoy this style of music are in for a treat, for the band produce some strong material here.

Sentenced To Life is perhaps one of the most back-heavy releases of the year, which much of the strongest material being found towards the end of the album's runtime. The instrumental "The Drug" marks the turning point between the inconsistent first half and the better and more enjoyable run out, reaching its peak on the final track "New War Order" (continuing the band's tradition of closing the album with a track named after their prior record). Before the album reaches its peak of quality, you are treated to some very enjoyable thrash with tracks like "Mouthtied" and "One Last Word" providing the serotonin release that quality heavy music produces.

The return of Tsitsis after an eight-year hiatus is perhaps the biggest improvement for the band and seemingly the missing piece of the puzzle, as his presence at the very least coincides with the band's best collection of riffs. Perhaps his recent collaboration with Bernemann in Bonded earlier this year has rubbed off on him, for there is a large improvement in the sound and quality of the six-stringed assault here. "Aiming The Eye" is led by its riff that leads listeners through a song that will hit them with everything they have and leave them bloodied and impressed, while "One Last Word" is a twisting and turning journey that will pull you along for the ride.

Tragakis's vocal approach of sounding like Axl Rose on bath salts does wear thin very quickly due to a heavy overreliance on it. "Another Betrayal" opens the album and provides you with ample quantity of such a style without overstaying its welcome, but it is continually overused for the rest of the album ("One Last Word"). There are tracks however where the use of this style is tempered, such as on "Against My Fears", which is a breath of fresh air until you get to the closing thirty seconds of the song, where the vocal approach can only be described as a banshee with its testicles caught in a vice. It does detract from what are otherwise solid songs given how ear piercing it can be, so beware.

The biggest problem the band faces is that when the band reach whirlwind speeds in tracks like "The Truth Is No Defence", the music comes off as an impenetrable and blurred; while I enjoy fast music, when everything just flies past you in a cacophony of noise, nothing is able to stick. It is telling then that when the song goes into a break, the tempo is slowed a little and the lead guitar is pushed forward that the song vastly improves as a result, making for a very enjoyable half of a track. The same cannot be said for "Another Betrayal", for it takes the opposite route and just flies through at full speed throughout.

I shall now read out the verdict from the jury and it is good news, the defendant has been cleared of all charges and is free to rock on. Sentenced To Life is a solid and enjoyable thrash release and the best from the band to date, unlikely to convert the unconverted but will certainly give plenty of material for those who like their music fast and loud.