Protector - Reanimated Homunculus (2013)

Like many other thrash bands of the 80s and early 90s, Protector would enter its torpor around the time the genre died down on the world map, its superstars surviving through their established reach, and/or accessible sound shifts, the rest retreating into death metal, black metal, grunge, groove metal or electronics. This was not a total hibernation period for the Germans, a bunch of obscure compilations were released, a couple tracks demoed by Marco Pape and a shifting roster, but effectively the band dissolved for 20 years, until original vocalist Martin Missy would 'reanimate' it with a trio of Swedes by his side who had played/were playing in some lesser known bands like Grief of Emerald, Axis Powers and Suicidal Winds. For those who had missed Missy's presence on the 90s material, this was surely exciting, and though the band seemed hijacked by the unshakable metallic presence of Sweden, this would initiate the most stable portion of the band's career!

Reanimated Homunculus blazes forward with a complete return to that Sodom-like sound the band had manifest on records like Golem or Urm the Mad, but it definitely doesn't ignore some of the evolutions during the Olly Wiebel era. There is no pettiness, Missy and his new crew are attempting to catapult the entire Protector legacy forward and beyond (I know he's even brought Wiebel on stage to sing a few of the tunes from records like A Shedding of Skin). But what you are immediately confronted with is a continuation of that aggressive late 80s Teutonic thrash meat-grinder, Martin's vocals straddling the lines between thrash and death metal, much like Tom Angelripper did, but with some backups that are pure gutturals barking off in counterpoint to the verses in a place like "Deranged Nymphomania". The riffs are chunky, propulsive, and true to form, not the catchiest things you'll ever hear, but exciting and dynamic enough for fans of the genre that you'll be banging your head while throwing your milk cartons against the nearest wall. These guitars spit caustic intensity throughout "Holiday in Hell", "Birth of a Nation" and "Road Rage" at a level the band had rarely arrived at in the past, often like a mix of old Sodom and Holy Moses; and the rhythm section matches them with ease.

It's a good thrash album for purists, with the only drawback that it sometimes feels a little generic in structure and riffing. I've mentioned before that the band never quite rises to the level compositionally as Kreator or Destruction during their finer hours, the material just isn't possess of that timelessness, but they feel like a damn solid 'second-stringer' that will be replacing any of the starters out on the field should they fuck up or become injured. Beyond that, Reanimated Homunculus plants its heels out on the defensive line, ready for any tackles, and proves beyond any doubt that Protector is back, ready to fucking thrash with abandon, and continue their mission regardless of who is in the active roster. Hell, the title track is even a lyrical continuation of the "Golem" concept.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

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