Ohio's Vindicator play pure thrash metal in the classic '80s style, just like Violator, Gama Bomb, Fueled By Fire, Warbringer, Hatchet, Merciless Death and a bunch of other young, frequently Latino bands, most of whose members weren't even born when the albums they take as inspiration were originally released. This, the band's second album, seems to take most of its inspiration from Megadeth circa Peace Sells…But Who's Buying? And Kreator circa Terrible Certainty and Extreme Aggression. Their music is somewhat primitive, bashing ahead with chugga-chugga riffs, the occasional bass solo ("Raze the Dead") and empty-headed lyrics shouted more than sung. There are a few nice guitar solos here and there, but the songs themselves are samey and unmemorable. The best one is "Fear Monger," but even that's just slightly better than okay. Vindicator are second-tier within a subgenre many metal fans already discount as boring and derivative. ~ Phil Freeman