Twenty-something Brits who have been compared to Priest, Metal Church and classic thrash. Lofty praise, but is it warranted (outside of the jaded, flag-waving, trump-up-the-locals, English metal press)? Surprisingly, yes.

While not easily pigeon-holed to any particular sub-genre, there’s a definite 80s quality about it (tuneful ‘Silent Empire’), a time when bands were trying different things and nothing fit into a category, beyond heavy metal.

The vocals are generally clean (aggressive and smooth) and the music straddles the early American proto-thrash (ala David Wayne-era Metal Church) and countrymen Onslaught (once they’d adopted a more, dare I say, commercial approach, with ex-Grim reaper vocalist Steve Grimmett, on "In Search Of Sanity"). There’s a comfortable feel to these nine songs, without being blatant rip-offs of what’s come before. Take the ripping ‘Enemy Image’, equal parts thrash and NWOBHM. Late to the retro-thrash game, as UK mags are now espousing the neo-traditional metal scene (which Savage Messiah could fit into), just a damn shame about the lack of promotion!

Check it out if you get the chance. Recommended.