The last few years has seen a minor revival in French bands making inroads in the international metal scene, after a stretch of many years where it appeared no one from that country played metal at all, at least not outside its borders. Here we have one of the better of these bands in No Return. Formed back in 1989, they released several albums (not reviewed here) that garnered them a following in their home country, but with 2000's Self Mutilition came worldwide acclaim. A crunchy death/thrash fest in the vein of The Haunted, The Crown, or perhaps Ritual Carnage, Self Mutilation packs a punch, with solid riffing and an excellent production, pretty much a faultless package. Their following album, Machinery, is reportedly in the same mold, with an increased presence from samplist Marko Pouchin. A solid and recommended band.