Holy Moses-Redefined Mayhem

Steamhammer
2014 

If my count is correct this makes 11 full-length studio albums for Holy Moses. That's quite the handful for this female-fronted German act isn't it? Formed back in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist turned bassist Jochen Fünders (2000-2001) and bass guitarist Ramon Brüssler (1980-1986), with the band's first album appearing some six years later (1986's "Queen of Siam"), Holy Moses seems to be primarily known for featuring the vocal skills of Sabina Classen (Temple of the Absurd, ex-X-Mas Project). There's that and then at one point in time the band featured the well-traveled/extremely cool Dan Lilker (Blurring, Brutal Truth, Evil Wrath, Nokturnal Hellstorm, Nuclear Assault, NunFuckRitual, Venomous Concept, Lock Up (live), Crucifist, ex-Extra Hot Sauce, ex-Hemlock, ex-Overlord Exterminator, ex-Redrum, ex-Stormtroopers of Death, ex-The Ravenous, United Forces, ex-Anthrax, ex-Autopsy (live), ex-Dark Angel (live), ex-Soulfly (live), ex-Exit-13, ex-Crab Society, ex-Human Garbage, ex-Last Satanic Dance, ex-Malformed Earthborn, ex-White Heat) on bass! He's actually just one of seemingly hundreds of ex-band mates of this speed/thrash metal outfit, but being a Dan Lilker fan myself (love his work in Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault, S.O.D. and Anthrax) I simply had to mention his appearance in this heavy thrashin' German act! But anyway, my own introduction to this band actually came by way of a mixed tape sometime back in early (or was it mid?) nineteen nineties (which I wish I still had (along with the rest of my cassette tapes!) as it was a sweet collection of Holy Moses tracks including some apparent demo tracks with male vocals if I remember correctly!) although I've lost track of this speedy, over-the-top, thrash attack group a long time back. Here we are though with "Redefined Mayhem" and it's good to see hear that the more things change the more they stay the same! With Sabina Classen still sounding as nasty as ever (as in extreme to the max!) this German act thrashes away track after track with words such as "alarming", "insane", "aggressive", "slashing", "angry", "brutal", "furious", "frantic" and "light-speed" coming to mind! In a nutshell (a crushed and pulverized nutshell thanks to these German metalheads!) Holy Moses is the deadly combination of extreme thrash metal and speed metal fundamentals which is boosted by a lead vocalist who is frightening (read: INTENSE and DIRECT!) and a new lead guitarist ( Peter Geltat, also of Desilence) whose skills shine through as these tracks feature technically sound solos as much as they do drop-dead, HEAVY riffs that will rip your guts straight out! This LP was a pure blast as it's plastered with newer thrash elements while it still maintains it's old-school allegiances. For Holy Moses fans this would seem like a no-brainer!