Exciter - s/t (1988)

One of my favourite thrash acts, this one's dressed up like it was released in the early to mid '90s alongside those Annihilator albums. In fact this has a more clinical feel than those earlier albums. No denying Beehler can still strip flesh with those maniacal screams and wails, but on tracks such as 'I Wanna Be King' we are hearing a more progressive Exciter, one steeped in pwoer metal efficiency. 'Scream Bloody Murder' is metal at its purest, very much in the Metal Church vein of cold steel and stone walls. Even in full throttle this is more thrashy Maiden rather than dingy thrash of old. A very underrated band, Exciter have always blown me away with their high voltage metal. This self titled barnstormer is a six track affair that doesn't rely on gimmick and from the outset has one aim, to get heads banging. Hell hath no fury like a metal band out to rock. 7/10