ARTILLERY — By Inheritance (review)

ARTILLERY — By Inheritance album cover Album · 1990 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
UMUR
"By Inheritance" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Danish thrash metal act Artillery. The album was released through Roadrunner/Roadracer Records in May 1990. The album was produced, engineered and mixed by B>Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Blind Guardian, Morbid Angel...etc) at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark in the early months of 1990.

The album features 1 instrumental intro, 8 "regular" original tracks and a cover version of "Razamanaz" by Nazareth. The music style on the album is melodic thrash metal with the occasional nod towards US power metal. It´s been three years since the release of the band´s last album "Terror Squad (1987)" and there´s been quite a development in sound since that album. The music style on "Terror Squad (1987)" was raw and old school yet technically well played thrash metal, while the music style on "By Inheritance" is a much more sophisticated yet still powerful type of thrash metal. The band have developed a flair for melody, melodic guitar soloing/guitar themes that are quite impressive.

The instrumental part of the music is very well played. Tight and fast riffing and a powerful rhythm section. It should be noticed here that Morten Stützer has taken up guitar duties on this album instead of playing bass and new bassist is Peter Thorslund. In addition to the excellent instrumental musicianship the vocals by Flemming Rønsdorf are the icing on the cake. Now that´s what I call a great frontman. He has got a strong and rusty kind of voice and while he is certainly able to deliver some really raw thrashy vocals, there´s always a rare melodic sensibility to his vocal parts. He is even capable of delivering more subtle and sensitive vocals in a track like "Don't Believe". Tracks like "Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)", the title track and "Back in the Trash" are simply killer thrash metal of the more sophisticated kind. You won´t hear something like this very often.

The sound production is perfect for the music. A bit dry but powerful and raw. "By Inheritance" is one of the best known thrash metal albums to ever come out of Denmark and listening to the album it´s obvious to hear why. The band really strike a great balance between the raw and thrashy and the more melodic US power metal style that´s actually pretty rare and not necessarily an easy achivement either. While Artillery are more a thrash metal band than Sanctuary were, I think fans of "Into the Mirror Black (1990)" would really enjoy "By Inheritance" too. That´s one of the albums I think of when I listen to "By Inheritance" (just to make a reference that some people might know). A 4.5 star (90%) rating is deserved.
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