The monkey’s paw is gripped tightly in your hands, a mangy curio purchased on your recent travel abroad. The wizened fakir that sold it to you promised it could fulfill any wish, an absurd statement but here in the stillness of your room curiosity has sunk its claws deep into you and a whispered plea escapes your lips: “I wish for an album that can recapture the sound of early Machine Head.” The paw shudders and before you materializes a copy of The Longed-For Reckoning, the second full-length by German thrashers, Fall of Carthage. You stare unblinkingly as your brain struggles to reconcile the musical apparition that has just been willed into existence. It works! Tremulous with excitement, you settle down for what you hope will be a satisfying slab of classic American-inspired thrash, but in the back of your mind lurks the fakir’s parting words: “Be careful what you wish for.” Judged solely by the first few tracks, The Longed-For Reckoning does a respectable job of sublimating any initial doubt as tight, crunchy riffs backed by impactful and powerful percussion presents a confident first impression.
