Band:	Mortal Sin
Album:	An Absence Of Faith
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. Out Of The Darkness
02. Deadman Walking
03. Tears Of Redemption
04. Before The Bough Breaks
05. Rise Or Fall
06. My Nightmare
07. Say Your Prayers
08. Lost Within
09. Eye In The Sky
10. Broken Promises

Mortal Sin is probably the only band from Australia which has the luck to tour with Thrash masters like Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer or Metallica. Really famous in their home country, the band disappeared after the 80's? It's a bit sad because a lot of people back in time said that they were the future "big" Thrash Metal band? Unfortunately you all know how life can be and it never happened. Sixteen years after their last real official release "Every Dog Has Its Day a.k.a. Rebellious Youth" and nine years after the EP "Revolution Of The Mind", the band is back with their long awaited new album "An Absence Of Faith".

If you like Testament or Metallica, I'm sure that you'll like "An Absence Of Faith" and anyway you probably already know Mortal Sin. The new release of the Aussies is a really nice mix of Bay Area Thrash with Hard Rock sonorities (a bit like the Black album of Metallica). The songs are catchy and well performed and even if we don't have anything surprising here, I can tell you that it will be perfect for headbanging! Be warned however, it's not aggressive Thrash and sometimes we're not so far from Hard Rock but if you like to listen to melodic music I think that it should be ok for you.

Only Mat Maurer (vocals) and Andy Eftichiou (bass) are the remaining members of the two first albums of the combo but it doesn't mean that the new members aren't able to play good Thrash. The guitar solos are solid, the riffs are good and it doesn't lack rhythm. With it's good production, this release is a good album of Thrash Metal. Of course you'll not find anything new here and only some "Hard Rock" Thrash a la Metallica but it sounds good and "An Absence Of Faith" is all but not a displeasing album in the end!

With this album Mortal Sin proves that this come back was not a bad idea. The guys are still able to play and write good Thrash Metal riffs and I'm sure that the old fans will be happy to listen to this new release. If you're into melodic "American" Thrash, have a look on this release. This is maybe not a revolution but "An Absence Of Faith" will be perfect for all the fans of Testament, Metallica and all the other big American Thrash bands.