Band:	Lich King
Album:	Born Of The Bomb
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	September 2012

01. All Hail
02. We Came To Conquer
03. Wage Slave
04. In The End, Devastation
05. Fan Massacre
06. Agnosticism
07. Combat Mosh
08. Axe Cop
09. Agents Of Steel [Agent Steel cover]
10. Lich King IV (Born Of The Bomb)

We often encounter revivalist thrash metal bands that try to recapture the essence of the '80s and '90s thrash scene while sharpening said sound using modern production; however, these bands commonly facee flak of being unoriginal rehash machines. One of the bands that has trotted on its way carrying the torch from original flag bearers such as Slayer, Testament, Overkill, Anthrax and Nuclear Assault is a band from Massachusetts called Lich King. Emerging during the early 2000s thrash resurgence, Lich King released four full-length albums, which received lukewarm responses from fans, until they decided to release Born Of The Bomb, which might be the best album in their catalog. How does this reviewer know, and more importantly, where does this Lich King record stand amid the other illustrious thrash output of 2012?

Let's find out.

Born Of The Bomb dropped in 2012, a year graced with various other strong releases in the genre: Overkill's The Electric Age, Kreator's Phantom Antichrist, Testament's Dark Roots Of Earth, Angelus Apatrida's The Call, Suicidal Angels's Bloodbath ...phew! Competing against such quality, Born Of The Bomb exhibits a typical thrash sound, unleashing riff after riff orchestrated with thundering drums, while the vocalist resembles his idol Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth's (Overkill) vocal lines. This time around, however, the production is notably superior, compared with previous releases that suffered heavily from muddied and muffled sounds; here, the guitar sounds immaculately crisp, complemented with great drumming and strong bass like on the album's opener "All Hail". This is carried through to the midsection of the album, all the way to "Fan Massacre", forming a pattern of trailblazing riffs with memorable groove-laden chops that leave listeners exhilarated from relentless headbanging.

The highlights of the album come in the form of its two longest tracks, each around 8 minutes: "Agnosticism" and "Lich King IV (Born Of The Bomb)". The former is a slow burner with a relatively down-tempo, stomping riff, and the whole track is highlighted by an excellent, drawn-out instrumental mid-section brimming with guitar pyrotechnics, while the latter (which also serves as the album closer) is a decidedly different complex barrage of lightning-fast riffs that barely lets up, giving a shade of Dark Angel's Time Does Not Heal.

Amid a true thrash resurgence, Born Of The Bomb solidified Lich King's standing, positioning them alongside contemporaries such as Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, and Suicidal Angels. This album not only demonstrates their command of the genre, but also underscores their capacity for innovation. With its exceptional production, unforgettable compositions, and unyielding intensity, Born Of The Bomb emerges as a pivotal release in modern thrash metal.

Highlights: "Agnosticism", "Lich King IV (Born Of The Bomb)", "Fan Massacre"