Band:	Holy Moses
Album:	Agony Of Death
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	September 26, 2008
A review by:	Jeff

01. Imagination
02. Alienation
03. World In Darkness
04. Bloodbound Of The Damned
05. Pseudohalluzination
06. Angels In War
07. Schizophrenia
08. Dissociative Disorder
09. The Cave (Paramnesia)
10. Delusional Denial
11. The Retreat
12. Through Shattered Minds/Agony Of Death (Outro)

After a good last album, Holy Moses is back this year with "Agony Of Death". Be sure that one more time you'll get a good dose of aggressive German Thrash Metal and really this is cool to see that Sabina and her band mates are still able to be convincing like this. Don't expect melodic stuff a la Bay Area Thrash but if you like violent Thrash which flirts with Death Metal I'm quite sure that you'll like "Agony Of Death". Definitely Holy Moses is not dead!

The first things that you'll hear when you'll listen to the new album are the riffs. Really we're in front of real fast sharping Thrash Metal riffs. If you were a bit doubtful about the fact that Holy Moses is a real Thrash Metal band, you'll have a singular prove here, this band plays Thrash and good one. Sure this is not so melodic and complex like some Bay Area Thrash combos but even if the album has some strong Death Metal influences it remains a really good release full of hits like "Pseudohalluzination", "Imagination" or "Angels In War". What I like the most I think is the general dark and naughty ambiance of the album. The songs are really dark and oppressive you'll really have some disturbing feelings when you'll play the music of the new Holy Moses. What can I add? Maybe that "Agony Of Death" is a bit repetitive sometime but after all this is not super complex Thrash Metal and anyway I don't think that we are looking for something which is extremely technical when we listen to Holy Moses, we just want powerful music and you can be sure that you'll have some good one here.

I don't know if it comes from the return of Guido Richter but this album is heavier than ever. The musicians are all good and the guitarists propose really good guitar soli. Sabina is one more time really convincing and sings with a powerful voice which clearly has more "balls" than the ones of a majority of Metal singers. The production is correct even if the sound is maybe too loud sometime but really this is just a little problem and all in all "Agony Of Death" is just a good album of Thrash Metal.

"Agony Of Death" is probably one of the best releases of Holy Moses. The fans will not be disappointed here, the new album is fast, violent and with great melodies, really there is nothing bad in this release. Sure you have to like German Thrash to fully enjoy this album but if you like bands like Kreator you'll love "Agony Of Death". It's nice to see that Holy Moses is still able to play great music, I just hope now that festivals and bookers will think about them for their upcoming tour, this band deserves to be seen live. "Holy Moses" is still alive and ready to kick your ass, with "Agony Of Death" be prepared for a great Thrash Metal tornado!