ALBUM REVIEW: Fatal Command – Pänzer

Back with their second album, German thrash metallers PÄNZER are set to release Fatal Command, once again teaming up with Nuclear Blast who worked with the band on their debut record Send Them All To Hell.

While some bands like to have a gentle introduction to a new record, or an instrumental first track, there’s no compromise from PÄNZER who dive right in with Satan’s Hollow, which begins with a killer riff to set the speed. Frontman Schmier [DESTRUCTION] is the ideal man to have on vocals, as he helps the band really deliver on the thrash metal front, and brings together an excellent opening track.

The title track Fatal Command follows, and if you listen carefully you’ll notice the band have taken the pace down just a notch. The intro is a little bit longer and there’s more of a build-up, but it doesn’t take long for the riffs to start increasing their tempo. The structure is pretty much the same as Satan’s Hollow, and it’s about this point you get the gist of what PÄNZER‘s overall sound is like.

There are a number of top quality tracks on this record, but there are one or two which stand out more than others. For example, We Can Not Be Silenced really captures the essence of metal as a whole. The intro takes a small clip from a speech, with the speaker asking “Is this really the best way to protect our country?” before the track kicks straight in. From the title of the track and the lyrics, it’s presumed that the track is about the people standing up against the system, which really highlights what the genre originated from going back to the days of BLACK SABBATH when they released War Pigs. The tracks already mentioned are just some particular highlights, but without giving too much away, every track is worthy of being a stand-out moment.

Following the success of their debut record, PÄNZER have had to go through some changes between records, with guitarist Herman Frank leaving the band and both V.O Pulver and Pontus Norgren coming in, but the two new members have slotted right into the band and seem to be a good fit for taking the band to the next level.

Overall Fatal Command is an excellent record. It’s hard, it’s fast, it’s loud – it’s everything you want to hear in a thrash metal album. PÄNZER have delivered once again after the release of their first record three years ago, and it’s exciting to see what the future holds in store for the band.

Rating: 8/10

Fatal Command is set for release on October 6th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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