Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Holy Moses - Strength, Power, Will, Passion - 2005 - Armageddon Music

Track Listing1. Angel Cry 2. End Of Time 3. Symbol Of Spirit 4. Examination 5. I Will 6. Space Clearing 7. Sacred Crystals 8. Lost Inside 9. Death Bells II 10. Rebirthing 11. Seasons In The Twilight 12. Say Goodbye

Holy Moses has escaped me through the years. With my love of all things German I have somehow missed the boat when it comes to this legendary thrash act. Of course I have never sowed my seeds in the extreme German tech-thrash scene, instead spending most of my metal moments on the plains of a much less complex nature, adoring the likes of Helloween, Grave Digger, Rage, and Running Wild. Interesting to see that former Running Wild member Thilo Hermann actually spent some time with Holy Moses, as well as former Helloween drummer Uli Kusch. For those of you who don't know the fame and glory of this street machine of steel, then let me bring you up to speed. The band was founded by leading lady Sabina Classen, who was one of the rare female thrashers of the 80s. Her brother Andy Classen helped out with songwriting and guitar for a majority of the band's career. After eight full length albums, "Strength, Power, Will, Passion" marks the first for the group without the contribution of Andy, who has always played a role in the group's creative process. This time around these speed metal merchants get down to business, unveiling their first work in three years and still keeping the same intensity and fire that has gotten them this far in their historical career.

Every band seems to be looking for female vocalists today, and I think it is interesting to see that this band has really cut their teeth on the female delivery, Sabina Classen playing the perfect thrashing queen through nineteen years of hellblazing sonic fury. This is certainly no different, with Classen playing the rumble queen to perfection. Her voice borders on death metal, but at the same time never fully commits to that. While groups like Sinister and Arch Enemy thrive on the extreme aspect of barking dolls (I call 'em like I hear 'em), Holy Moses are a bit more crystal clear. Never ranking in the small percentage of Chastain or Warlock cleavage, these Germans really just play a sinister, sadistic blend of hot lead speed, possibly being that fourth German entity to play the proverbial technical thrash (Kreator, Sodom, Destruction), although several others could come into play for that coveted fourth horsemen ride.

This really is a basic understanding of speed and the little to no variance to that particular ideal. This new record thunders on in much the same way as Kreator and Destruction, and since I don't have any other Holy Moses records to compare this to at the moment, I would imagine this record is more modern than previous efforts. I would speculate that this is about the same jump Kreator made from early 90s to current SPV material. I can hear the modern Slayer sound, the current hot bed of death thrash, and the heart of it all, that extra sense to move faster and faster, with little to no worries about being painted into a corner. With lightning quick punches from the lethal combo of Franky Brotz and Michael Hankel, Holy Moses just simply do what they have always done. It is great to see that nineteen years haven't left them confused or disoriented, and their fans' wishes are firmly put in place here. Fans of Arch Enemy should pick this up, to better understand the German way of thinking, and to put that Gothenburg scene out of sight and out of mind....at least for a week or so.


--EC 05.23.05