Band:	Rigor Mortis
Album:	Rigor Mortis
Style:	Speed metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	October 17, 1988
Guest review by:	Maasai Mara

01. Welcome To Your Funeral
02. Demons
03. Bodily Dismemberment
04. Condemned To Hell
05. Wizard Of Gore
06. Shroud Of Gloom
07. Die In Pain
08. Vampire
09. Re-Animator
10. Slow Death
11. Foaming At The Mouth [bonus]
12. Grudge Fuck [bonus]
13. Spivey [bonus]

I cannot believe that one of the all-time essentials of fast-paced, ass-kicking thrash is yet to be given the justice it deserves and have a review on Metal Storm. The pinkish cover art features a fun-looking skull full of goofy hair, which is good at misleading mortals into thinking that this is another joke of wannabe soft thrash and ensures that only the chosen few experience its glory.

This album challenges the Unholy Trinity of thrash albums (Reign in Blood, Darkness Descends, and Pleasure To Kill) and only Darkness Descends convincingly beats it. The album starts out with an aptly titled instrumental, "Welcome To Your Funeral", which is an all-out thrash attack that introduces you to Mike Scaccia, whose work on this album is up there with the guitarists on the Unholy Trinity of thrash albums. At least these guys have the courtesy to welcome you to your funeral, because this album will force you to die a painful death while screaming in terror.

The guitars are simply the reason why, despite this being so thin production-wise, it is still intense and vigorous. Solos! This is a cliché when it comes to describing the essentials of thrash, but damn, does Scaccia unleash the meanest, fastest, and sweetest riffs and solos you will ever hear. Scaccia does some of his most frantic, most passionate, and fastest soloing on the song "Vampire", which you honestly cannot bang your head to without snapping your neck. The bass does a good supporting job and the brilliance of Casey Orr is particularly clear during the guitar solos. The drums are not that great in comparison to the Unholy Trinity, but the guitars and vocals will have you thrashing about and dismember your body to lovely pieces such that you will not give a single fuck.

Bruce Corbitt is simply better than all the vocalists of the infamous Unholy Trinity. Corbitt has a gruff, mean, and rough vocal approach that kicks you in the teeth just as hard as the riffs. His performance on "Condemned To Hell" proves that this is a demon truly ascended from the very pits of hell and is hellbent on reanimating corpses so that they can thrash around in praise of Satan. Somehow the words are still decipherable despite Corbitt unleashing one of the meanest vocal performances ever in thrash.

If you love fast-paced, intense, mean, passionate, and over-the-top thrash, then this is a must listen. If you hate Reign In Blood and rate it less than 9, then you suck, and don't bother listening to this since you are not worthy enough.