Long-running German thrash outfit Exumer will release their new full-length, Death Mask Messiah, on August 28th through Metal Blade Records.
Death Mask Messiah, which marks the band’s first new studio output in seven years, 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.
“We are a lot more aggressive than on Hostile Defiance and are returning to a more ‘in your face’ style on Death Mask Messiah,” confirms co-founding vocalist Mem V. Stein. “We’re furthering the process that began with our first offering for Metal Blade, 2012’s Fire & Damnation, where we wanted to sound like a contemporary band while maintaining the spirit and our musical heritage of the 1980s.”
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. “They have formidably integrated themselves as musicians and friends into the Exumer tapestry,” Mem says. “You can feel their young energy, coupled with our trademark aggression and experience. The band sounds more focused and yet raw, thanks to their addition to the lineup.”
Death Mask Messiah also surprises: There’s a guest and a cover song: Nasty Ronnie 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.
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 says. “Each song on Death Mask Messiah picks up an individual theme of these two strains of thought.”
For instance, the title track and lead single brings everything together with the Waco raid/siege and Koresh as the main character but also paints a universal picture of charlatans who lead the United States to hell with their lust for power.
Mem further elaborates: “We deliberately chose this track as the first single, as the sonic assault of its main riff and the lyrical concept represent the totality of our intentions for this album. It marks a clear step toward elevating the band to the next level of our career, leaving nothing to the imagination and reinforcing our place as one of the most powerful forces in the entire genre.”
Death Mask Messiah, which features front art and layout by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations (Sodom, Vomitory), will be released 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)
Find pre-orders for Death Mask Messiah here.
