This album is hot! It doesn't match the intensity of their classic debut, but it doesn't disappoint. More of the bands roots (the blues-metal of the early 70's) show up here than before, which is performed with guts and precision. I thought the snare drum sound in some songs could've been beefed up some more, but these five guys continue to amaze me with their creativity and prowess at speed metal. The standout cut, in my opinion, is the anti-drug tune: "Can't Get Out", which features a change-up in the vocal delivery by Roger Martinez. The chorus has a great hook that begs to be sung along to. Some of the other vocal changes are in "Out of the Will", where he sings with a kind of British accent - sounding like Anthrax; "Frontal Lobotomy", with super-growling vocals; and "Among the Dead", where he's just wailing with desperation as he basically cries, "Time here is so short...we've got to redeem the time." One tune not penned by the band goes back to their roots: Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'". Roger gives it a new meaning - the Rapture of God's saints. I wonder what Ritchie Blackmore is going to think if and when he hears it. It's definitely undergone the thrash transformation. A great addition here is the inclusion of scripture references amidst the lyrics; inserted exactly where they back up the lyrics. This makes for a good Bible study. Try going over the song "Among the Dead" before an evangelistic excursion... Fans of thrash will love this album, and those on the fence between thrash and straight-ahead metal will be glad to know that Vengeance Rising has expanded their sound. Check it out.