Cinders Fall hail from Essex, and "The Reckoning" EP is their second release. Not having heard them before I was not sure what to expect. The first track 'Dead Zone' starts well with guitars and drums before a really nice twin, harmony guitar riff kicks in. A classic metal sound if ever I have heard one and perhaps the tempo and drums should have given me a clue as to what might be about to come?

Then, unfortunately for everyone the vocals kick in. Now, I might be considered an old man by some, and, I may well be stuck in a 70's and 80's classic rock time-warp, but to me there is little point in having lyrics that are in-audible. In fact, not only can I not understand what is being said, but the lyrics are even hard to follow on the CD liner while listening to them. Track 2, 'The Sorrow' starts equally promisingly but you already know what is to follow and it duly arrives. To be honest after the anticipation of the vocals kicking in, 'The Sorrow' doesn't sound too different from 'Dead Zone'.

Halfway through the EP and I am reaching for the eject button but sadly for me there are three more songs I have to listen to. After the halfway mark passes there is a passage without vocals and this sounds great but the vocals return and all is lost once again. 'Beyond Existence' follows the prescribed band's formula to the letter. Maybe if I block out the vocals the music isn't too bad? The shouty vocals for me just spoil what could have been a very good song. So on we go to 'I Inside' and there is some lovely guitar work here. I am now left contemplating why, if the "Thrash Metal" movement began in the late 80's has this genre lasted 20+ years? I think I must have missed something, but what? Finally, we come to the EP's title track, 'The Reckoning.' I actually didn't notice the end of the previous track, and 'The Reckoning' is more of the same noise as the previous 4 tracks. The music is good and you can even hear the keyboards on this track. I didn't realise there was a keyboard player in the band, but he's called Colin Eatherton and is possibly, if not the most underused keyboard player ever! Certainly the most under-heard keyboard player ever.

"The Reckoning" isn't by any means the worst Thrash I have ever heard. That honour goes to a band I saw at Teesside University Student's Union in 1990, the name of which I cannot remember thank god! If you like thrash metal, then this CD might be for you but if it's not your bag (like me) then it is best you leave "The Reckoning" well alone. This could well be the lowest rating I have given in a review. It would be much lower if I hadn't awarded 5 for Musicianship because the guitars are good. I gave 5 for production too, partly because some poor bastard had to record, mix and master this.