UMUR "The Awakening" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish death/thrash metal act Merciless. The album was released through Deathlike Silence in February 1990. Merciless never really broke through like some of their contemporaries in Entombed and Dismember, but their influence on the early Swedish death metal scene should not be underestimated. Although technically speaking they don´t play death metal, their brand of thrash metal is so aggressive, murky and raw, that they probably have influenced hundreds of old school Swedish death metal acts with their two legendary demo cassette tapes "Behind the Black Door (1987)" and "Realm of the Dark (1989)".

The music on "The Awakening" is predominantly fast-paced (Read: furiously fast-paced) death/thrash with an absolutely caustic aggression behind the delivery. These guys are out for blood and it´s audible. It´s very suiting that the album opens with a track titled "Pure Hate", and in the 26:50 minutes the album lasts, from the first notes of "Pure Hate" to the closing notes of "Denied Birth", there is not a split second of peace or quiet. This is brutal aggression through and through delivered with great conviction but also with great skill. These guys can play and those snarling rabid dog vocals are punishing to say the least. If I have to make a comparison to another act it would be to the Danish death/thrash act Invocator and their demo releases and debut album (minus the equilibristic guitar solos) although Merciless are much more raw and simple in their approach. "Pleasure to Kill (1986)"-era Kreator is also a valid reference.

"The Awakening" can be filed under the catagory "a kick in the face", and fans of raw death/thrash should find lots to love here. It´s not the most varied release out there, but it´s still entertaining all the way through. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.