There is not one thrash band or metal band out there that has not been influenced by Slayer in some way, but Suicidal Angels make it very clear in their music that their biggest musical influence is Slayer. Suicidal Angels was formed in Athens, Greece in 2001 as a school band, releasing their first demo in 2002 entitled United By Hate, followed by two more demos, two EPs, then leading into full-length studio recordings. Many people go as far as calling Suicidal Angels the "new Slayer", due to similar lyrical themes and thrash consistency. Slayer followed the motto of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" for 3 decades, and it's no different with Suicidal Angels, as you know what you're going to get.

On the band's new album Divide & Conquer, the band welcomes in new members Chris Tsitsis on guitar and bassist Angel Kritsotakis. The guitar partnership of Nick Melissourgos and Chris Tsitsis, combined with the rhythm section duties of Angel Kritsotakis and drummer Orfeas Tzortzopoulos, and you've got an album with a well-executed blend of thrash and groove. Tracks like the opener "Marching Over Blood", the title track, "Pit Of Snakes" and "Kneel To The Gun" are prime examples of perfect blendings of the two styles of thrash and groove. One thing that will really raise eyebrows is the band's accuracy and precision of timing, especially on songs this fast.

We find the band bringing in some new elements to thrash, such as the orchestral intro to "Control The Twisted Mind", which is then followed by a melodic guitar intro, but the band lures the listener into a false sense of security, as the song leads into mosh-mania right after. The destructive intro riff on "In The Grave" contains a sound very similar to Cannibal Corpse with the beefy guitar tone and the break-neck pace, it's almost identical to a Cannibal Corpse riff.

The album's closer "White Wizard" is the longest cut on the album and contains all the tempos that Suicidal Angels have experimented with on the album, as well as their career. The only slight flaw about the album is that some of the riffs sound similar to each other and sound very similar to some riffs the band has used in the past, so as a result, it does sometimes get a little confusing as to which Suicidal Angels song you're actually listening to.

Aside from the minor imperfection, it's safe to say that Suicidal Angels have delivered their most aggressive and punchiest offering yet. Divide & Conquer is one of the quintessential thrash releases of 2014. If you're a die-hard Slayer fan, you will love Suicidal Angels.

Highs: "Control The Twisted Mind", "Divide & Conquer" and "White Wizard"
Lows: Few riffs on the album sound a little recycled.