UMUR "Death Hammer" is the debut full-length studio album by UK thrash metal act Flayed Disciple. The album was released through Grindscene Records in May 2012. Flayed Disciple was formed in 2008 and released the "Drawn Viscera (2009)" and the "Ejaculate While Killing (2010)" EPs before releasing "Death Hammer". Both "Exodus" and the title track from the "Ejaculate While Killing (2010)" EP are featured in re-recorded versions on "Death Hammer" as well as "Torsofucked" from the "Drawn Viscera (2009)" EP.

Stylistically the material on "Death Hammer" is in the brutal end of the thrash metal spectrum. The instrumental part of the music is sharp, aggressive, and brutal thrash metal while the vocals are death metal growls. To my ears the vocals are the weak link on the album. It´s not that they aren´t well performed growling vocals, but they just don´t fit very well with the music. Thrash metal in this vein just works so much better with a snarling aggressive vocalist, and the one-dimensional growling vocals soon become a bit tedious. It´s probably an aquired taste though, and I recommend that the readers check it out themselves, to see if it´s an issue to their ears.

The material on the 10 track, 51:13 minutes long album is otherwise really effective and you´re bound to bang your head while listening to this brutal thrash metal assault. Flayed Disciple are a really well playing band too, so the high level musicianship is also one of the great assets of the band´s music. "Death Hammer" is fairly well produced and upon conclusion it´s a quality release in the brutal end of the thrash metal spectrum. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.