There's been plenty of new releases for thrash fans to enjoy recently. The likes of Nervosa, Angelus Apatrida, and Blessed Curse are just some of the bands to have released new albums in the past thirty days and now Ohio's War Curse are ready to add to this thrash attack and deliver their third full-length, "Confession." War Curse first burst onto the scene in 2015 with their debut album, "Final Days," before their sophomore release, "Eradication" hit the shelves four years later. Following this cycle, "Confession" has been unleashed four years on and fans should be pleased with the end result.

War Curse's brand of thrash is a little different from the other bands mentioned though, rooted more in traditional heavy metal and creating a sound more like "Black Album"-era Metallica or Megadeth around the "Countdown To Extinction" period. It works well though and the opening song "The Nothing (That Is Me)" combines these influences to mix a genuinely beautiful intro with a hefty weight. This combination rears its head again later on "Power Of The Powerless," which blends melody with the occasional hardcore flavour.

A title track usually needs to be strong since it's representing the album, and "Confession" is indeed. As one might expect from the album cover, it has a jail-like vibe to begin with, making it feel quite anxious. It's also one of several songs to have something of an early to mid-2000s feel, which is to say melodic, clean singing choruses and a more elevated tone. It's hard to describe really but it makes this album stand out among other thrash records this year. The solid "Fortress Of Agony" also includes this approach, while their rendition of the Grip Inc. favourite "Rusty Nail" is made the band's own.

Every song on the album is good, most of them quite enjoyable. The problem with "Confession" though is that none of the songs pass that standard. There isn't really a song that makes the record as such, but it's a satisfying listen from start to finish. "Confession" contains a decent level of variety, mixing in several sounds while wearing their influences clearly on their sleeves. It's got a modern sound, but will remind the listener of metal eras which aren't revisited as much today.

All in all, "Confession" is well worth a listen. It's not going to win any Album of the Year awards, but it stands head and shoulders over a lot of other releases this year. War Curse has the potential to really channel their influences into something exciting, and they come close here, crafting a record that will get the listener's head nodding and foot tapping. It's just missing one final, mystery ingredient to push it over the edge. It's a good entry into the band's growing catalogue, and one which will surely be topped the next time around.