Photo by Morgenrot Visions
Watch/stream EXUMER’s “Blinding Skies” HERE.
German thrash titans EXUMER are pleased to drop their new video for “Blinding Skies.” The track appears on their pulverizing new full-length, Death Mask Messiah, out now on Metal Blade Records.
Comments co-founding vocalist Mem V. Stein, “Driven by a relentless barrage of riffs, the song’s lyrical content highlights the consequences of political overreach and the influence of the military-industrial complex — pushing society into prolonged conflict that benefits a few at the expense of many. It’s a perspective we feel is important to highlight, given the platform we have and the current climate.”
Watch EXUMER’s “Blinding Skies” video HERE.
Watch EXUMER’s previously released video for “Death Mask Messiah” HERE.
Death Mask Messiah marks the band’s first new studio output in seven years and further cements EXUMER’s legacy as a dauntless thrash metal institution. A logical and compelling progression from the German legend’s three previous albums, the 11 ferocious songs, produced by Dominic Paraskevopoulos (Kreator, Caliban) and mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Soulfly, King Diamond), take a more brutal and direct musical approach.
Recorded from December 2025 through January 2026, Death Mask Messiah is EXUMER’s sixth album and fourth for Metal Blade. It’s also the first EXUMER LP recorded with the rhythm section of drummer Jerome Reil and bass player Alex Voss. “You can feel their young energy, coupled with our trademark aggression and experience,” says Mem. “The band sounds more focused and yet raw, thanks to their addition to the lineup.”
The record is inspired conceptually by US politics of the last decade, the pandemic, the use of misinformation to stir up cultural divides, and the like. Mem also mused on the 30-year anniversary of Waco, Texas and the standoff with the Branch Davidians. “David Koresh was a false prophet and wore a death mask, manipulating and leading his followers to certain death,” Mem notes. “Each song picks up an individual theme of these two strains of thought.”
With Death Mask Messiah, EXUMER wants to help listeners not feel alone as they struggle with difficult personal or universal times. The audience relates to the band’s lyrical messages and musical delivery. “Fans sing along, they show up and share their thoughts with us on tour,” Mem says. “I feel accomplished when I can reach just one individual and make them feel better or supported.”
As an added bonus, the record includes a guest and a cover song: Nasty Ronnie Galletti from American metal legends Nasty Savage sings on EXUMER’s version of his band’s track “Unchained Angel.” EXUMER supported the band in 1988 on their first European tour.
Death Mask Messiah is out now on CD-Digipak and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
180g Black
“Galaxy” Red/Black
“Saturn” Grey/Brown Ripple (Ltd. 250)
“Onyx” Black Ice w/ White Splatter (Ltd. 250)
Preview/purchase the record at metalblade.com/exumer.
Death Mask Messiah Track Listing:
- Death Mask Messiah
- Blinding Skies
- Sin Bleeder
- Eradication
- Ravishing Waste
- Allocated Savagery
- Serpent
- Fratricide
- Scorcher
- Frozen Ground
- Unchained Angel
EXUMER Live:
9/19/2026 Bosphorus Open Air Metal Fest – Istanbul, TR
10/23/2026 Nuclear Winter Festival 2026 – Hirschaid, DE
11/21/2026 Alcatraz & Pluto Festival – Deinze, BE
2/20/2027 Endzeit Festival 2027 – Essen, DE
3/20/2027 Hell’s Heroes – Houston, TX
5/27–30/2027 Maryland Deathfest – Baltimore, MD
6/26/2027 Nackenbrecher Open Air – Teuchern, DE
“EXUMER is a legendary powerhouse with history to crush any stage they play. There is great history from 1988 with Nasty Savage touring Europe and I am honored to be a part of this project!” – Nasty Ronnie, Nasty Savage
“This is like jumping into a time machine set for 1986! Good old hard-nosed yet catchy German thrash metal the way it was always meant to be. Thank you to EXUMER for making me feel like I am 21 again!” – Danny Lilker, Anthrax, Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault, SOD, etc.
“With Death Mask Messiah, EXUMER have elevated their craft. Tight and incisive riffing, pummeling drums, and Mem’s vocal attack at full force — the band is in top form. An extremely satisfying listen.” -– Jeff Matz, High On Fire
“Classic German thrash with all the spirit and energy of their early days, but more focused and precise. EXUMER are one of the very few ‘legacy’ bands where modern production clearly enhances the musical aggression, without detracting from any of the original metal message. Well done, boys!” – Brian “Mitts” Daniels, ex-Madball
“After 7 years, EXUMER’s Death Mask Messiah continues to showcase their speed and aggression with Mensh and Stein’s classic Possessed Like Fire stylings of German thrash metal alongside a newly energized drum and bass rhythm section, complete with raw, hard-hitting production and a badass Nasty Savag” cover!” – Carlos Cruz, Nails
“…an opus of pure intensity that will be mana from heaven for the retro thrash devotees and especially those who are around back in the ’80s.” – The Great Metal Debate
“EXUMER has delivered once again. With a knack for great riffs, catchy songs, and the perfect blend of tradition and freshness, these scene veterans show they are far from running out of steam. Death Mask Messiah is exactly the kind of fuel the hungry thrash horde craves!” – Metal.de
“Death Mask Messiah is a blast of pure thrash fury that honors EXUMER’s roots while pushing the band’s intensity to new heights. Thank you to EXUMER for one hell of an album – loud, lethal and built for the pit.” – The Metal Pit
“…a thrash metal album blessed with serious punch and moments of virtuoso flair, with hardly any filler.” – Powermetal.de
“…this album sonically, is incredibly appealing. It has so much violence in it. It’s so aggressive. It’s so intense, gritty at times, penetrating as well. There’s an overall darkness as far as the riffs are concerned. But all of this doesn’t change the fact that the overall guitar sound is incredibly heavy and fat all around. This gives the album quite a bit of substance and width. It makes the tracks feel a lot chuggier, a lot heavier, a lot thicker…” – A&P Reacts
“This is a veteran band who flatly refuse to become a heritage act, taking on the ugliest currents in modern politics with the same fury they brought to Possessed By Fire four decades ago – and doing it without a bullet belt in sight. For all the record’s heaviness, EXUMER haven’t sacrificed songcraft; these tracks stick in the head rather than just flattening the listener.” – Moshville Times
“Aggressive, fast, and catchy as fuck riffs steep this offering in an old-school German and East Coast thrash coating that makes it instantly headbangable and a worthwhile listen.” – The Metal List
“EXUMER continues to prove themselves the modern equals of the Big Three… Death Mask Messiah does nothing new… nor do I want that from EXUMER. It just rips shit up and kicks you in the face with a size 12 steel-toed boot. That’s what thrash is for, so brace for face annihilation.” – Angry Metal Guy
“This album is not merely a respectable late-career thrash record. It is evidence that EXUMER still has a legitimate place in the genre they helped build: not as relics, but as veteran German thrashers who can still walk into the room, plug in, and make the furniture nervous.” – Maximum Volume Music
“A head-flailing, air-guitaring good time.” – The Metal Crypt
EXUMER:
Mem V. Stein – vocals
Ray Mensh – guitars
Marc B. – guitars
Alex Voss – bass
Jerome Reil – drums
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