New Jersey heavy metal legends ATTACKER are celebrating their 40^th anniversary in 2024. It’s a milestone marked by their influential 1985 “Battle at Helm’s Deep” debut and 1988 “The Second Coming” sophomore effort, as well as post-2001 reformation full-lengths like 2004’s “Soul Taker” and 2006’s “The Unknown” that served as reminders of ATTACKER’s staying power. While it hasn’t always been easy for ATTACKER, founding member and drummer Mike Sabatini attributes the band’s longevity to their love of heavy metal music. That red thread and never-ending appreciation for what ATTACKER means to them and so many across the globe helps define the band’s newest studio foray, “The God Particle”.

REVIEW: Back in the mid-2000s I had that moment of crush on ATTACKER, like probably most of you did, especially when the critically acclaimed “Soul Taker” came to light (to this day I have a theory that the speed heroes from VULTURE got inspired for their “knife and a leather glove” moniker from that cover), however it was short lived and washed away by the next big thing that come into the reviving metal scene. So, it was a great personal joy, receiving the opportunity to revisit the band and their latest creation, and now I realize that being around for four decades (with some periods of pause) is a serious testimony about the place ATTACKER holds in building the metal scene on the East Coast and beyond. We’re about to find out how much of musical divinity there is in the “The God Particle” so let’s move on examining what the boys have pieced together.

Entering the realm, we’re greeted by the “Knights Of Terror” and oh boy, do they mean business! “The seal is broken!” as we understand from the intro shout-out and that ignites a fury to be unleashed in musical and vocal form. The drum barrage is almost instant, complemented by heavy riffing and welcoming the main track theme. From that point on, it all grows into a detonating opener with all the bells and whistles one can expect – high-pitched singing, aggressive guitars, with some covert crossover elements and a short, crafty solo to check each and every box. A splendid warm-up, seducing us to carry onto the next episode. “Curse Of Creation” undertakes different intro policy, one with a light solo guitar flirting with slow clear vocals before taking the mask off and throwing the real deal at us. I would label that one as a more traditional ATTACKER track, the type that doesn’t shine with something in particular, nevertheless is an honest and straightforward punch in the face, to make you pay attention to the messages delivered. Mid-paced, with exquisite guitar bridges to transit between verses and some changes in the vocal tonality, in exactly 4 minutes the band managed to fit good amount of metal mastery, all packed in the overall album context, missing any rough edges to make you upset.

On position three, we get “Stigmatized”, the drilling intro just piercing the ears and mercilessly throwing us into a speed metal vortex. Extremely solid and monolith banger, that brings out the best of the bands capability to ignite the mood to extremes and in the same time to stay focused on the overall album emphasis. The buzzing lead riff is just to die for, smoothly leading way for the vocals to burst out in almost thrash style at certain passages. Getting a gear back right into the middle for a while, to go full throttle in the solo and skyrocket towards the last verse – that’s the ATTACKER we all want to hear. “River Of Souls” opens in a similar manner and beyond doubt the boys really opt for a striking initial moment in their compositions, however this time we witness a heavier riffage, galvanized with enthusiastic drumming and bit of staccato sharpness in the delivery. Singing style also comes in a different shape, more melodic, nearly progressive if you’re more inclined to recognize the traces of that genre. Instrumental interludes are what make this piece stand out from the rest so far and its inspiring to see that its not only speed and power that constitute the toolbox of the New Jersey quintet. Beyond any doubt they have way more tricks in their sleeves, much of those are highlighted here and despite not even reaching the 4 minutes of duration, the river of souls flows in the right direction taking us further in this musical expedition.

“Kingdom Of Iron” transitions us to the second half of the record, hitting hard with a supercharged energetic introduction, fueled by machinegun drumming and couple of bars of witty bass solo, capturing the momentum and turning towards nice aggressive vocals line to descend upon us. That one definitely boosts the morale and sounds like a call to arms for the metal brotherhood, summoning the legions to swear eternal allegiance to the iron kingdom. Running the track several times and taking in account its specific dynamics, my gut feeling tells me, this will make a massive live act hit, especially putting accent on the masterful guitar play metamorphosis, that come rich in ornaments, without spoiling or slowing down the bravado demonstrated since the beginning. “World In Flames” ignites the souls and keeps the album fire ardent. Jumpstarting with the song title from the very first phrase, its heat and tension from here on as if we jumped on a burning rollercoaster, taking twists and turns, accelerating the perception of peril that lurks in today’s world. What we have here is the track with the most modernistic sound of them all till this point, flexible in composition, avoiding the classical patterns and mixing elements in a genuine manner. Kudos to that bold innovative approach and be aware of that particular piece when giving the album a hear-through.

Heading to the final phase “The Mighty Have Fallen” salutes with marching band style of drumming, paired with fanfare guitars, getting spirits high and amalgamating in a speedy riff that literally made me jump from the chair and start headbanging. Definite face-melter and a power-kick dosage of metal mania, at least till the second chorus mark. Minute and forty-five seconds in, there is a sudden switch of pace, swapping acceleration, adding solid riffing and group chanting, converting it more into a battle hymn than the speed banger we engaged with. Epic leading and backing vocals start to dominate the ambience to come back on the fast track in the last minute, via short solo and enthusiastic closure, that puts a smile on my face. Now I have a favorite in the album, however ATTACKER have one more ace to play, probably leaving the best for last. Title track “The God Particle” comes at the bottom of the playlist, with four and a half minutes of playtime, promises to summarize the essence of the release and put a glamourous point to the voyage. In reality, turns to be quite an unconventional tune, wrapped around a dialogue between a “machine voice” and the clear vocals, constantly exchanging lines, like laying brick after brick in building an antagonistic argument between opposing characters. Just love this way of structuring the synopsis and by far the expectations for a monumental epilogue are met and exceeded. There is a magnetic operatic vibe in that style of delivery, delving deep beyond the mundane to put a mark of magnificence and a hint for a divine intervention. Regardless of the vox, taking central stage in that final strike, an honorable mention to the instrumental section for orchestrating the perfect baseline for this masterpiece to unfold.

CONCLUSION: To choose a single term when it comes to “The God Particle”, I would nominate this album of ATTACKER as “typical”. Traditional fanbase of the band would definitely fall for it and add it to their collection, even though there is little glamour or charisma to be found. Nonetheless its compact, cohesive, confident and clear in the message. The band remains true to their texture and signature style that walked them through four decades of notable presence on the heavy scene. There could be little dispute that the closing couple of tracks are the jewels in the crown and give the release that sparkle of nobility that raises the ranks to remarkable extent.

TheNWOTHM Score: 8/10

ATTACKER is:
Bobby Lucas – Vocals
Mike Benetatos – Guitar
Jon Hasselbrink – Guitar
Brian Smith – Bass
Mike Sabatini – Drums

ATTACKER online:

https://www.facebook.com/AttackerBand
https://www.instagram.com/attackermetal