Review PRESTIGE ‘Reveal the Ravage’

Finland’s thrash metal powerhouse Prestige started in the late 80s, in 1987 to be precise. The band released three longplayers before they parted ways in 1992 after having released the ‘Parasites in Paradise’ album.

In 2006 metal fans could sense some activities at the Prestige camp, at least a compilation was released that year. More exciting though was December 2020 when the guys published with ‘Exit’ a single that marked a real new beginning, supported by new material. The 7” was the harbinger of a new full-length album that will be available at the record stores on August 13^th this year.

‘Reveal the Ravage’ is the fourth album penned by the Finnish metal veterans and it is a blast. Ari, Aku and Jan are the core of the renewed band while drummer Matti Johansson joined in 2020. Listening to the album feels like if time stood still over the last decades. Prestige brings old-school thrash metal to the plate with monstrous riffs, a murderous groove and aggressive vocals. ‘Pick the Poison’, equipped with a massive chorus and cool shouts, is a great example for what the band stands for in 2021. It’s a musical blast that unleashes a lot of energy right away.

The album confirms what was put into people minds with the two single releases. Merciless and fierce thrash metal is what fans get offered and well-trained neck-muscles are certainly a benefit while enjoying these ten tracks. ‘In Remains’ is one of these neck-breaking thrash attacks, being blazing fast and spot-on. You can drop the needle wherever you want, what you get in return is good stuff, like ‘Ready?’. And when the band asks, “Are you ready”, you better be prepared to agree and dive.

Prestige re-energized, re-grouped and returned. Strong and savage, that is the basic expression of this raging thrash metal album that sticks within the genre-given frames but uses all ingredients in an excellent fashion.