Exumer

I'm the kind of guy who spends way too much time thinking about thrash metal minutiae, wringing my hands at five in the morning thinking about the vocalist from Sacred Reich and praying he knows how much the world would be worse off if he hadn't sung like that ― that kind of thing. Yet still I know nothing about German thrashers Exumer, who formed in 1985 and put out two '80s thrash albums before calling it a day. I mean, maybe I've heard those albums, but if they're anything like the material on this comeback disc, I could see why I forgot. This band play fully capable thrash that borders on the Teutonic, but has a bit of American friendliness to it (somehow this is more Wrathchild America than Kreator, at times). It's a non-stop barrage of adequate thrash (with tons of great riffs ― this band's strong point) undermined by a lack of identity and ability to stick in the rivet head's riveted head after the onslaught stops and real life continues. This is perfectly acceptable as background music, but not appropriate for life's soundtrack.