Band:	Arbitrator
Album:	Children Of Apocalypse
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. The March (Intro)
02. World Under Control
03. Hogs Of War
04. Firestorm
05. Little Boy
06. Bombracer
07. The Victim
08. Enola Gay
09. Execution
10. The Candlelight
11. Children Of Apocalypse

I use to listen to Thrash Metal but I didn't know that we had a Thrash Metal scene in Russia. Well, I don't know if I can really talk about Russian Thrash because there is nothing really original in the new album of Abitrator but for sure this is Thrash Metal and maybe that some people will be curious to discover how it can sound. "Children Of Apocalypse" is not an original album but Arbitrator is a young band and deserves the support of the Thrash Metal fans from all around the world. Don't expect anything new here but if you like German Thrash I think that you could find some good things here.

Definitely, "Children Of Apocalypse" suffers of a big lack of originality and when you'll listen to this release you'll not find anything new unfortunately. The band is not the most original combo and their compositions are all a bit weak on a side. The riffs are simple and this is a bit repetitive. But on a side the real Thrash Metal spirit is here and the lyrics (in English) about the Hiroshima nuclear attack are not bad at all and in the pure spirits of the anti-war Thrash releases. Of course, good lyrics don't save an album but even if "Children Of Apocalypse" is unoriginal, we have some good riffs and the guitars soli are not so bad (but not "terrific" too?). At least the album has a good dark and naughty general ambiance and if I cannot say that their Thrash sound like the Bay Area one, it's obvious that Arbitrator is influenced by German combos like Kreator or Destruction so if you like their music maybe that you'll enjoy "Children Of Apocalypse".

The sound of "Children Of Apocalypse" is not bad at all. There is some old school sonorities in the album but it doesn't sound old. The cover is really good so all in all there is nothing to say against the band here. On the other hand the musicians are not so bad but you'll not be in front of a real musical demonstration. Yes to sum up, "Children Of Apocalypse" is too simple to be really attractive. We have good ideas and good things here but it's too generic to become famous unfortunately. Arbitrator is a young band though, so with time they will probably improve and these bad points will just become bad souvenirs.

As you know now, "Children Of Apocalypse" is not the album of the year. Too simple, too generic and too common, the release clearly lack of originality and inspiration. But I cannot say that Arbitrator is a bad band because really they're able to do good things and I think that, with time, they should become better. "Children Of Apocalypse" is a curiosity made in Russia, not a perfect album, not a terrible one too, just a bit too average but if you want to try Russian Thrash it can be a good idea to listen to it. That's up to you thrashers!