UMUR
"We Have Arrived" is the debut full-length studio album by US thrash metal act Dark Angel. The album was released through Azra/Metalstorm in November 1984. Dark Angel were pretty active in their formative years, releasing no less than 4 demo tapes before releasing "We Have Arrived".
The music on the album is raw and "in your face" US thrash metal. References to especially early Slayer are obvious ("Show No Mercy (1983)"-era). In that respect Dark Angel aren´t the most original sounding act from those early days of thrash, but they are still widely considererd very influential. The album features a raw and authentic sound production, which goes well along with the raw and unpolished playing on the album. At times it sounds like the material was recorded live in the studio. High energy, fast riffing, pounding drums, and a staccato type thrash metal vocalist who occasionally delivers high pitched screams too.
The material are generally not that interesting. Even this early on in thrash metal history albums by contemporaries like Slayer, Exodus, and Metallica were far better produced, played, and written. So it´s the youthful energy and the high level of aggression that save the day for Dark Angel. "We Have Arrived" is widely considered an US thrash metal "classic", but that doesn´t necessarily mean it´s one of the most high quality albums in the genre. A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.
