As an admiration toward the tradition and the inspiration the debut album of ESSENCE starts almost like ‘By Inheritance’ (1990) of their famous compatriots ARTILLERY. The boys considered that a legible solo with a little bit eastern tune is the best beginning for a thrash metal album. This curtsy rules the intro and the first track of 'Lost in Violence'.

After this the quartet steps on the solid ground of the German thrash school. The mood overtaking us is a mixture of at least 60% DESTRUCTION, vocals like these of Mille Petrozza (KREATOR) from the period ‘Cause for Conflict’ (1995), and some SODOM influences should be mentioned. The songs are decorated with virtuoso acoustic solos (1, 2, 6, 7, 9) or bass solos (4, 8, 10), However this does not widen the slip-knot which ESSENCE tighten around your neck. They widen it a little bit only in the more melodic ‘Shades of Black’ where the vocals are heavier, the track has tunes from the late apocalyptic hymns of KREATOR. The godfather of the album ‘Lost in Violence’ in fact is a trilogy containing reasonable connected tracks.

Obtaining the inspiration is a step to everyone’s creativity, but in the work of ESSENCE it becomes an accumulation of small quotations. Even at a lyrics level could be heard key words and phrases from classic metal bands. I think that the lessons are over with ‘Lost in Violence’ and the next release will be completely full of new ideas.

ESSENCE achieved the level which forebodes that the thrash scene will start to comply with them. They are not afraid to make quotes and they do not embarrass to demonstrate scale up!