Pelata Ultimatum is a New Mexico-based metal outfit that cranks out straight up, old-school thrash metal. Or, as it states on the album packaging, “Unrestrained, fist clenching, neck snapping, head banging Heavy Metal!” I can’t think of a more fitting description, so we’ll just leave it at that.

This is an album full of double kick-drums, thrashy guitar riffs, cool, screaming solos and raspy vocals. Vocalist Scott Waters sounds like a mixture of Exodus’ Steve Souza and Bobby “Blitz” from Overkill with his gritty, reptilian tone and the occasional death growl. Guitarists Robert Gutierrez and Steve Turjillo both sport heavy, distorted rhythm tones and good feel on the solos. Their riffs are a mix of classic heavy metal and Bay Area Thrash with plenty of head banging and mosh parts. Drummer Sean Griego and bassist Tom Michaels are the quintessential metal rhythm section, driving the tempos and gluing the whole works together nicely.

“Crash Course” starts off with a driving, strict-time double kick-drum riff and cool melody into a good, thrashing verse. The cut-time groove on the instrumental break is a nice foundation for the slithery lead work found here. The syncopated bass and drum intro to “The Purging” is really tight, this leads into mid-tempo, crunchy metal verse riff. Waters reminds me a bit of David Wayne here with his delivery and his raspy tone. The intense, syncopated riffing on the bridge is great! The music on the rest of the disc is similar in style and quality. Just a good metal band playing good metal.

The lyrics are of a blatantly christian viewpoint, and at times can be a little cheesy (like mentioning MTV in the socially conscious title track, and lines like “…who says you can’t mix aggression with a message of faith…” on “Violence & Bloodshed”), but are no more a detriment to the band’s sound than it is to all the equally cheesy satanic bands out there.

Pelata Mighty New Mexico thrasher’s Ultimatum return with their first album in 6 years titled Into The Pit. Not only is this album a long time coming, it also very well may be the best music Ultimatum has ever produced in their 14 year existence.

Best described as a blend of Classic and Thrash Metal, Ultimatum’s sound is pure, simple and true. Loads of double kick drums, ripping guitar solos & riffs galore! Guitarist Robert Gutierrez absolutely shreds all the way through this album. Vocally, Scott Waters displays a growly, Death Metal influenced vocal style similar to that of early Vengeance Rising and Celtic Frost. Song to song, the band are relentless in their presentation and execution pouring themselves completely into their performances. The energy really comes across on this recording. Some of the best numbers include “Blood Covenant”, “One For All”, “Exonerate”, “Blind Faith” and a spirited rendition of Iron Maiden’s “Wrathchild”.

All in all, Ultimatum has produced one of the year’s top Thrash Metal albums along with 2007 releases from Hirax, Evile, Fueled By Fire and Dekapitator. In other words, it’s easily a Top 10 Thrash release. If you like your Metal straight to the point and thrashy, dig into this.

Pelata Since it’s formation in 1992, New Mexico’s Ultimatum has been steadfast in it’s pursuit of the Metal Dream. This is one of those bands that lives, eats and breathes Heavy Metal on stage and off. For it’s fifth full length studio release, the band has chosen to pay homage to some of it’s heroes and ours…yes, boys and girls, I give you a covers album – collective groan from the audience -. I know, I know. These types of albums have been called everything from lazy to a quick cash in…sometimes both. But Ultimatum #1 – barely make any money anyway and #2 – are anything but a lazy band so here we go.

Ultimatum is known primarily as a Thrash Metal band. Yet, over time the band has allowed it’s classic Heavy Metal roots to come through in it’s music much like Deceased has done. Thus, we find a varying combination (for Metal) of covers from bands like Overkill, Judas Priest, Vengeance Rising, Quiet Riot, Metal Chrch, etc. with no single style taking the lead. The band does manage to put its own stamp on the songs without rendering them unrecognizable. A few that fit like a glove would be “Ton Of Bricks” (Metal Church), “Can’t Get Out” (Vengeance Rising) and “Powersurge” (Overkill) as they are close to Ultimatum’s on brand of Thrash tinged Heavy Metal and also since vocalist Scott Waters is kind of like a blend of all three of these singers, David Wayne, Roger Martinez and Blitz Ellsworth, respectively.The higher range, gritty, sometimes slurred delivery also shows signs of influence from the likes of Cronos and King Fowley. A few that surprised me were “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” (Quiet Riot), “Denim And Leather” (Saxon) and “Sin After Sin” (Twisted Sister). I say surprised because once you hear the rough and ragged vocals come in over very familiar riffage, it jolts the attention (if you’ve heard Deceased’s ‘Zombie Hymns’ release, you know what I’m talking about). Like I said, the band put it’s stamp on these songs. The music is all kept pretty close to all the original arrangements, except maybe for a little added double kick or altered drum pattern or solo embellishment here and there, but I think the idea was to play the songs as if Ultimatum wrote them. A few others that come off quite well would include “Wrathchild” (Iron Maiden), “Iron Fist” (Motorhead) and “Creeping Death” (Metallica). One I think did not come together well was “Steeler” (Judas Priest). I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s just not sitting well with me. Perhaps the music/vocal combo is just too glaring on this one.

The liners come with detailed explanations as to why these particular songs were chosen and that’s always fun to read. As with most covers albums, they are for diehard fans of the band recording them as the point is to look back, not look forward for new fans. But, if you’re curious as to what Ultimatum actually sounds like, despite them having not written a single note on this album, Lex Metalis does manage to give you a good idea. If you played the band’s 2007 album Into The Pit next to this one, you’ll see what I mean…despite the well-known songs, it sounds like Ultimatum. Check it out.