I’m actually familiar with DIVISION SPEED since their very first recordings featuring session member Ricky Wagner from REZET on vocals but kinda lost track after they did their debut demo with full-time vocalist Hunter. Now, a few recordings and years later, the German war command finally managed to unleash their very first full length record via High Roller Records. And what we get is quite a lot – almost too much. DIVISION SPEED deliver 14 (!!!) tracks in almost 46 minutes, which is a lot for a band that plays simple Thrash / Speed Metal. The tracklist is a mix of material from the first two demos as well as the split with WITCHING HOUR plus 7 new tracks (two of them are short solo instrumental interludes). The beginning consists of three known tracks in chronological order from the self-titled 2009 demo, the split release and the demo of 2010. All of them decent tracks but nothing that sweeps you off your feet. The first highlight marks the first new track called ‘Schwarze Scharen’ consisting of great riffs and a really nice classic Heavy Metal finish with great lead guitars and harmonies. These lads definitely know how to play their instruments which is even more enhanced by the great production Patrick Engel delivered. But unfortunately this track remains as the only highlight (besides the hymn ‘Sturmbataillon’) on the record. The residual tracks are definitely not bad but just too much of the same old story. Thrash Metal to me lives from great dynamics and extreme aggressions (not a KREATOR tribute but simply the truth), and this unfortunately lacks the record as a whole. WITCHING HOUR, HELLISH CROSSFIRE or KETZER on “Satan’s Boundaries Unchained” already delivered what DIVISION SPEED were aiming for with “Division Speed” because they took a risk and didn’t play it safe and simple. Since I think this is a love it or leave it record, fans of classic Heavy Metal music and Thrash Metal in general should definitely give it a try and conceive their own opinion. More information can be found here www.facebook.com/divisionspeed and here www.hrrecords.de.