Metal Underground.com

Threat Signal's debut release is "Under Reprisal" on Nuclear Blast Records. The band made a name for themselves on underground websites, getting rave reviews. Soon after they were signed to Nuclear Blast, and began working hard on putting out their debut album.

Threat Signal opens fast and heavy on "Under Reprisal", really riding hard riffs in the early tracks, while grinding in a good mix of vocals. "Rational Eyes" sticks out as the best track on the album, with an alarmingly bold sound that really plays to the ears.

Halfway through the album they seem to shake their own beat with a variety of new aggression. Vocalist Jon Howard highlights his talents midway through with some mind-blowing growls, second only to those of Soilwork or Meshuggah. Threat Signal blends the different sounds well, as they have a near rythmatic shredding prowess on guitars. However with the recent loss of Rich Howard it will be interesting to see if they perform as well on tour with Marco Bresette taking over lead guitars.

There are only two weak parts of "Under Reprisal." The first is the all-to-often melodic choruses. They start getting predictable, and it feels like you've heard parts of the album before despite this being a debut. The other one is the band's inconsistancy. The early half of the album really seems to seperate itself from the last three or four tracks. Towards the end of "Under Reprisal" you really want to get up and restart the album.

I would recommend this album for metal fans who like Soilwork, Meshuggah, and other tempo bands. However if you're totally new to this band, I would play the album back to front to really give them a fair chance. After all everyones tastes are different.