Tankard - R.I.B.

Thrash Metal
Nuclear Blast
2014










1. War Cry
2. Fooled By Your Guts
3. R.I.B. (Rest In Beer)
4. Riders Of The Doom
5. Hope Can't Die
6. No One Hit Wonder
7. Breakfast For Champions
8. Enemy Of Order
9. Clockwise To Deadline
10. The Party Ain't Over 'Til We Say So

Well, what is there to say about a new Tankard release? Obviously I expect progressive thinking man's metal album with maybe some neoclassical virtuso guitar. I jest of course. Tankard are the ultimate working man's thrash band, constantly staying true to their roots and just making some nice heavy music with fairly goofy, fun lyrical content. I've always enjoyed the band as they are one of the the most consistent thrash bands out there and just come up with a lot of fun yet heavy material. Tankard have never backed off the thrash and and I admire how they have successfully stuck to their guns for so long.

The thing about R.I.B. is I expected straight forward thrash and that's what I got, but there are some serious problems here. I'm fine with direct speedy thrash if it sells itself on it's heaviness, riffs, and vocal intensity, but overall R.I.B. just doesn't quite get the job done. The bulk of this album sounds like it's really running on fumes as the music just doesn't have a lot of energy and the vocals often come off as too subdued. Honestly, it sounds a little phoned in and like the band didn't have their hearts in it. The sort of album that's released just to have an album. It sounds like Tankard basically, but it has no fire. Songs like No One Hit Wonder, Breakfast For Champions, Enemy Of Order, and The Party Ain't Over Till We Say So just don't end up leaving much of an impression. They just kind of settle into one repetitive rhythm and that might be fine if it was a particularly catchy or heavy one, but I just don't hear anything imaginative or intense about them. I get, as I said in the intro of this review, that Tankard isn't meant to be brain food, but I want some killer riffs and rhythms that make me want to bang my head at least and these just come up short. Then at other times when the music does pick up it just seems to get chaotic like on War Cry where Gerre where Gerre can't seem to keep the pace of the music with his vocals or R.I.B. which seems a bit sloppy in it's use of monastic style chanting and similarly erratic approach.

At this point I'm talking about a lot of the album which is just unimpressive or a tad confused, but there are at least a few good thrash tunes to be found here that seem to come about when the vocal performance marries up to the music better than the bulk of the album. Overall, I'd say Hope Can't Die is my favorite here. It's not a barn burner in it's somewhat paced approach, but the rhythm is headbandable and the song features the best vocal performance here. I dig the semi-melodic approach here that sells the song as being kind of fun and catchy. Riders Of The Doom also just comes together well as the vocals have a certain intensity to them and the music keeps it heavy yet with a nice coherent rhythm that Gerre has no problems shouting along to with a good punch. Clockwise To Deadline is also worth noting as a faster one that gets it right letting the music take over to shred, but with a steady rhythm that leaves the vocals with room to breathe.

Overall, I can't say this is Tankard's strongest effort. The bulk of this either doesn't have the intensity to sell it or tries too hard to be intense and ends up sounding confused. Maybe a middle road is in order here and only a few tracks Really get it right. This album also just doesn't seem to have the addictive rhythms or Fun sort of choruses that sell me on the band and that has to be a disappointment. This might be worth it for hardcore Tankard fans, but to the general thrash fan I'd say this is mostly pretty average stuff. Third tier sort of thrash that makes for a few good tunes, but not really an overall solid album. Really, too much of this is mediocre for me to give this much of a rating despite a few good songs. It's still Tankard and their sound isn't bad, but the songs aren't quite there.

Highlights: Hope Can't Die, Riders Of The Doom, Clockwise To Deadline

Rating - 3.0/5

Artillery - Legions

Thrash Metal
Metal Blade
2013








1. Chill My Bones (Burn My Flesh)
2. God Feather
3. Legions
4. Wardrum Heartbeat
5. Global Flatline
6. Dies Irae
7. Anno Requiem
8. Enslaved To The Nether
9. Doctor Evil
10. Ethos Of Wrath

Well, here we are again with a new vocalist for Artillery. I remember the last time this happened I was pretty worried. Flemming Ronsdorf was a big part of Artillery's sound and one of my favorite thrash vocalists. Soren Nico Adamsen erased any doubt I had about the band being able to continue though as he was a perfect fit. I absolutely loved When Death Comes and My Blood so once again, I am sad to see an Artillery vocalist go. This time I'm slightly less skeptical though. I mean if the band managed to find a new vocalist who kicked ass the last time... maybe they can do it again here.

Then again... Maybe not. It didn't take me long listening to this album to know where this review was headed. After a few tracks it became painfully obvious that the high and and thin vocals Michael Bastholm Dahl simply do not have the muscle for thrash material. I know Artillery has always had somewhat of a power approach to the vocals, but these are just way too lightweight. The vocals just have little force, no variation like the band has had in growls or screams... Nothing. It's sad really because the songs are quite good. The Stutzers lay down some awesome riffs here and the music is extremely headbangable thrash. The music is aggressive as hell and loaded with energy. It has that nice clean sound with some middle eastern flair the band has had since By Inheritence and the band's trademarks are firmly intact on everything. This is almost everything I expect and want from Artillery... but the vocals. Oh man the vocals. Dahl's not an incompetent singer and I bet he'd be ok, if not spectacular, in a power/traditional band, but the singing just sucks the fire right out of this album.

This has got to be the most tragically flawed album I have heard in some time. The end result is I just can't get around the singing. It's actually really frustrating because this could have been an excellent album. As is... it's just too depressing to listen to. May this new vocalist's stay in the band be short. Is there any way I could personally bribe Soren to come back to this band?

Highlights: Chill My Bones, Enslaved To The Nether

Rating - 3.0/5

Hatriot - Heroes Of Origin

Thrash Metal
Massacre Records
2013

1. Suicide Run
2. Weapons Of Class Destruction
3. Murder American Style
4. Blood Stained Wings
5. The Violent Times Of My Dark Passenger
6. Globicidal
7. And Your Children To Be Damned
8. The Mechanics Of Annihilation
9. Shadows Of The Buried
10. Heroes Of Origin

I have to admit that I lost track of Souza a bit after he left Exodus. The first Exodus album without him was very good in my opinion and Dublin Death Patrol wasn't really that interesting or exciting. After their first album I kinda tuned out. However, with Exodus slipping fast and their last 3 albums not interesting me at all either, I decided to give Souza's new band a look. Worth a shot as I'd like to hear some thrash in the vein of Exodus again with the actual Exodus going more modern. One fun fact worth mentioning about this band going in is that two of the members are Souza's kids.

Well, the kids hold up pretty well in this metal foray. Listening to Hatriot's debut, this is some pretty solid stuff. Nothing here really reinvents the wheel and it sounds mostly like the band trying to recreate old Exodus. That being said, they don't do it half bad and that was pretty much what I was looking for out of this. I think some other older Exodus fans might share that desire as well, so nothing really wrong with that. This is fairly traditional thrash with Souza's trademark snarl and honestly this probably sounds more like Exodus than Exodus does these days which makes for a good niche for Hatriot. Aside from the obvious comparison to early Exodus ala Fabulous disaster that I've already mentioned, I do also hear a bit of older/80s OverKill as well as a bit of Slayer. There's also a slight feel of throwback thrash like some of the thrash metal revivalists such as Warbringer or Lazarus AD at times. Nothing ground breaking here, but not half bad either. I'm not sure I see this band putting out an album to Really measure up to classic Exodus, but hey... I'll take it.

Basically, this is the best thing Souza has done since Exodus and better than the current Exodus. That's gotta be worth something to thrash fans. I'd say if you like old Exodus and Souza than check this out. It might not level you like the days of old, but I do think this is pretty good and meets realistic expectations of it.

Highlights: Weapons Of Class Destruction, Murder American Style, The Violent Times Of My Dark Passenger

Rating - 3.5/5

Testament - Dark Roots Of Earth

Thrash Metal
Nuclear Blast

2012

1. Rise Up
2. Native Blood
3. Dark Roots Of Earth
4. True American Hate
5. A Day In The Death
6. Cold Embrace
7. Man Kills Mankind
8. Throne Of Thorns
9. Last Stand For Independence

I always like to kind of level with people reading when I write a review. I tend to kind of give my impressions regarding a band going in to say what perspective the review is coming out of. Lets face it, we all have those bands we love or hate, think are overrated or underrated.

Well I'll tell you right now I've always thought Testament are completely overrated. Yes they have a good guitarist in Skolnick and as such the band is not technically lacking in the guitar department, but I've always found the songwriting spotty. I also don't get the praise for Chuck Billy who used to be OK, but has had some fairly shitty attempts in modern years of making his voice sound heavier/more extreme. Just my opinion of course, but there you have it. You can imagine my expectations weren't extremely high going in and this is not really a 'fan' review from the start. I'm not really the type to buy into a band just because they're a 'classic' or others think they're great.

All that being said, Dark Roots Of Earth strikes me as pretty decent. One of my bigger gripes with Testament is when they try to get more 'extreme' as they're not particularly good at it IMO and that's fairly limited here. For the most part Billy gos for a more melodic heaviness and the leads follow suit. When the guitar finds a good upbeat pace and a balance between heaviness and melody things can get pretty good. There certainly are moments that remind me of earlier, more noteworthy albums like The Legacy and Practice What You Preach. When things find that sort of a balance this strikes me as pretty competent, if still not Amazing thrash.

My gripes with this album once again come in the form of songwriting however. There are certainly good songs which have a classic thrash energy like the first couple of tracks, Rise Up and Native Blood and also album closer Last Stand For Independence. Unfortunately, there are also tracks which just don't seem to have an energetic enough pace and get a bit plodding like Dark Roots Of Earth and A Day In Death. These songs are a perfect example of why sometimes I just can't get invested. They don't sound Bad, but they don't really attack in the way I generally like my thrash to either. Then there's the semi ballad Cold Embrace which I also find a little on the dull side. On the other extreme you have True American Hate where the vocals get a bit rougher and the approach a bit more modern. This sort of track isn't really what I'm looking for either and reminds me of a middle of the road, more recent Exodus track. None of these tracks are terrible, but neither do they draw me in and make me want to listen to them again.

Overall, Testament have not come up with a bad album here. Certainly, I've heard worse. Has this changed my mind and made me regard them as anywhere near the top of the thrash heap though? No not really. Pretty middle of the road thrash in my book and not something I see myself listening to often or really pretty much ever. There are just bands who deliver better thrashing as far as I'm concerned.

Highlights: Native Blood, Rise Up

Rating - 3.0/5

Tankard - A Girl Called Cerveza

Thrash Metal
Nuclear Blast

2012

1. Rapid Fire (A Tyrant's Elegy)
2. A Girl Called Cerveza
3. Witchhunt 2.0
4. Masters Of Farces
5. The Metal Lady Boy
6. Not One Day Dead (But One Day Mad)
7. Son Of A Fridge
8. Fandom At Random
9. Metal Magnolia
10. Running On Fumes

My expectations are fairly simple when it comes to a good Tankard album. Tankard have never been a cerebral/technical sort of thrash band and I'm pretty certain they're ok with that. Tankard is about a focus on heaviness, fun songs about drinking and partying, and good hooks. Usually what sets a great Tankard album apart from a good one is the energy level and how much it makes you want to headbang.

Well on A Girl Called Cereza, the headbanging factor is pretty high. This album just comes out and attacks with it's guitar heaviness and energetic pace while making you laugh a bit at songs about metal transexuals and beer goggles. Basically, this is just a lot of fun. Songs like A Girl Called Cerveza and The Metal Lady Boy are just in the best tradition of Tankard. I absolutely loved the guest appearance of Doro on The Metal Lady Boy as well. Doro singing thrash? Pretty freakin awesome.

Everything on here just screams to me Thrash and I enjoyed the album thoroughly from start to finish. While I've liked the past couple of Tankard releases this one just hit me harder and stayed with me better. The songwriting on this one is top notch for the style they aim for. I'd say this is their best release since Beast Of Bourbon and a fine example of why Tankard kicks ass. Gotta love a band who sticks with their roots/style. Tankard and OverKill are probably the most reliable thrash metal bands. The output and consistency of these two in thrash are just unrivaled.

In conclusion, this album is just what I want out of Tankard. Brash, heavy, and in your face with a comical twist. This is music to party to if you're metal enough. Thanks for the alcohol infused good time Tankard.

Highlights: The Metal Lady Boy, A Girl Called Cerveza, Rapid Fire, Witchhunt 2.0

Rating - 4.0/5

OverKill - The Electric Age

Thrash Metal
Nuclear Blast

2012

1. Come And Get It
2. Electric Rattlesnake
3. Wish You Were Dead
4. Black Daze
5. Save Yourself
6. Drop The Hammer Down
7. 21st Century Man
8. Old Wounds, New Scars
9. All Over But The Shouting
10. Goodnight

OverKill have always been among my favorite bands. These guys just have a special place with me as one of the best in thrash metal and also one of the few to not flake on the genre. OverKill have been pretty consistently churning out good thrash metal albums for a long time now and I always look forward to another. I know some people prefer their more classic material or don't like the groove era stuff, but I'm not one of them. They did hit a bit of a rough patch, in my opinion, with ReliXIV and Immortalis, but that didn't last. Ironbound was their best, and least groove oriented, thrash metal album in a long time. As I said, I like their more groove oriented thrash as well, but I can't say I didn't appreciate the old school shredding that Ironbound brought back to the band.

On The Electric Age the old school vibe and energy seems to be here to stay which is good by me. Kinda nice to hear a band like this revisiting their roots and doing it well. It was about time I think and the band pulls it off again in fine fashion. Electric Age is a pretty unrelenting album that is just built for headbanging. I'm not sure any song here hits me Quite as hard as The Green And Black or Ironbound in terms of catchiness, but this is well above par from start to finish. Not quite as strong at the top, but just as good from start to finish as Ironbound and it even has More songs I'd consider highlights. It was hard for me to par down the list and ended up giving this one 5 highlight tracks.

I have not a doubt in my mind that all but the most jaded old school thrash fans will enjoy this and it might even grab a few of the more cynical. Certainly, OverKill is sounding a lot more like their 80s/early 90s incarnation than the Mid 90s/2000s version. Gotta hand it to OverKill for giving the fans pretty well exactly what they want and still thrashing.

Highlights: Electric Rattlesnake, All Over But The Shouting, Goodnight, Drop The Hammer Down, Come And Get It

Rating - 4.0/5

Onslaught - Sounds Of Violence

Thrash Metal
AFM

2011

1. Into the Abyss (Intro)
2. Born for War
3. The Sound of Violence
4. Code Black
5. Rest in Pieces
6. Godhead
7. Hatebox
8. Antitheist
9. Suicideology
10. End of the Storm (Outro)
11. Bomber (Motorhead cover)

Some bands get back together and when you listen to the album you wonder why. Onslaught is not one of those bands. I was immediately sold on their reunion with Killing Peace as it sounded great, had a lot of fire, and was highly memorable. That one could be a model for the modern thrash metal album, but there have been a lot of good ones lately between OverKill, Paradox, and the very thrashy mold of the latest Helstar. Let's just say I enjoy when bands like this come back and deliver me a dose of aggression.

On this new one Onslaught do not disappoint at all and live up to the aptly titled Sounds of Violence. Some purists are down on a thicker, more modern sounding thrash metal, but I am not one of these people. I don't really understand the whole it has to sound thin sort of outlook. Don't get me wrong though this isn't modern groove thrash... it just has that sort of Heavy tone to it. Newer Tankard (thinking Beast Of Bourbon) or maybe Exodus' Tempo Of The Damned though this is purer thrash than that so to speak. I find this to be a pretty perfect blend of balls out aggression and a good thick sound. The vocals are also a nice touch as they vary between the gruffer side and more of a snarl. All the songs as a whole come off as pretty damn catchy, fun, and violent. Also worth noting is a fun cover of Bomber with Phil Campbell and Tom Angelripper.

Good all around performance by the band and some solid songwriting make this one well worth headbanging to. I'd recommend this to any fan of thrash metal who isn't stuck in the old scene really. This is a damn heavy sounding album with the songs to drive it home.

Highlights: The Sound Of Violence, Born For War, Code Black, Godhead

Rating - 4.0/5

Megadeth - Th1rt3en

Thrash Metal
Roadrunner

2011

1. Sudden Death
2. Public Enemy No. 1
3. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
4. We The People
5. Guns, Drugs & Money
6. Never Dead
7. New World Order
8. Fast Lane
9. Black Swan
10. Wrecker
11. Millenium Of The Blind
12. Deadly Nightshade
13. 13

Megadeth are both a personal favorite of mine and a band who have been on a roll of late. This is a band that hit the rocks for awhile, but really managed to rebound to find their place in metal again. Between the recent output of The System Has Failed, United Abominations, and Endgame I really didn't have much reason to doubt this. Megadeth have just been making good and have reestablished themselves as a band with some solid, talented members and good songwriting. The door on the members continues to revolve a little bit, but with the backing of Ellefson, Drover, and Broderick there is no reason for complaint right now.

I've gotta say that when I started to listen to Th1rt3en I was underwhelmed from the start though. Sudden Death and Public Enemy No 1 are so direct they just kinda passed by without leaving much of an impression. Straight forward and while not by any means slow... not ripping either. The pace of both songs doesn't carry a lot of energy, the songs don't seem very creative, and the hooks are minimal. Whose Life is a bit quirkier with almost a bit of that punk influence to thrash, but also keeps relatively the same pace and doesn't really manage to break free as a real quality track either. This is the kinda stuff I'd expect to find in the middle as deep tracks. Acceptable enough, but nowhere near single quality. Not a good way to kick off an album to be sure.

Well, I guess it's time for a bit of track by track as I wait to be interested. From there we head into the track We The People which is a bit slower, but also sounds too similar and fairly one note. By this point I was just feeling a real lack of energy in the music and even having a hard time keeping focused on the album. If the album hasn't hit by track 4... when is it going to?Certainly not with Guns, Drugs & Money which settles into a groove, but not one that really gets the head nodding either and track 5 becomes another miss.

After this we finally find a burner with a good sound to it. Never Dead is a nice, thrashier track with some attitude and finally the band sounds awake with good speedy riffing and drums that add to the energy. Took a hell of a long time to get here, but this is a noteworthy song. New World order follows this up nicely with a little less speed, but some good melodic phrasing in the guitar, a catchy quality to it, and the pickup at the end actually brings Rust to mind a bit. Take No Prisoners specifically and this is most welcome. Starting with Never Dead I really felt like I was listening to a different album and the next track Fast Lane continues to drive the point home. This one has that great attitude infused snarling and a killer guitar sound. This one is a bit more mid-paced, but sounds like it's in the best tradition of Countdown To Extinction. It also does boast a bit of a speed boost at the end and is a solid track. Black Swan follows this with a nice mid-paced energy about it and some cool sounding vocals from Dave that compliment the music well. Just one of those songs that has a good feeling to it.

By this time in the album the turnaround was feeling real for me and Wrecker does nothing to change my mind with it's solid, driving rhythm and some more trademark snarls from Dave. Maybe not as good as the previous 4 but still better than the beginning and perfectly acceptable. Millenium Of The Blind follows this with an interesting feel to it as it sounds somewhere between a semi-ballad and a creeping doom song. Different for sure and pretty decent. Not an album highlight, but a good outside the box sorta song. Next in line is Deadly Nightshade which has a sinister roll to it and is another good track to add to the pile. Finally, closing out the album we have the title track of sorts, 13, which is a bit of a mood track. This one rolls in with a dark and melodic approach that has a good feeling and builds to a bit more of a mid-paced heaviness. A nice addition and a suitable end to Th1rt3en.

Well, that was a whole lot of words and description, but yeah I was invested in this one. Anytime an album like this comes along... an album from a favorite band... my ears are glued. Th1rt3en is not a perfect album as it does have some iffy tracks that come out and stare you in the face immediately. By the middle of the album though I was hearing some really good things. Certainly, this album's highlights state their case in making up for the lows. I can't help but be pleased with the overall experience. The rating just might have been higher if some of this album was trimmed down and/or rethought. 5 so-so tracks kinda hurt the overall experience. I don't really want to start up an album and have to skip to track 6... which is likely what I will often do.

Highlights: Never Dead, New World Order, Fast Lane, Black Swan

Rating - 3.5/5

Artillery - My Blood

Thrash Metal
Metal Mind

2011

1. Mi Sangre (The Blood Song)
2. Monster
3. Dark Days
4. Death is an Illusion
5. Ain't Giving In
6. Prelude to Madness
7. Thrasher
8. Warrior Blood
9. Concealed in the Dark
10. End of Eternity
11. The Great
12. Show Your Hate 2011 (Re-Recording)
13. Eternal War 2011 (Re-Recording)

Hey look a new Artillery album and it took less than the neighborhood of a decade. We're off to a good start already. Seriously, I loved Flemming Ronsdorf, but if the band needed a vocalist change to put out material more regularly than practically never... it was a good trade. Not to mention I thought Soren Nico Adamsen did a very admirable job on When Death Comes.

Well with the excitement over the fact that there simply is a new Artillery album out of the way, it was time to listen to the thing. Upon doing so, I have to say that the album did not exactly jump right out at me. At the very least not in the same way that When Death Comes did. Maybe it was partly that When Death Comes had a new sound/new singer and was fresher. More than that though the songs on the last album had more immediate hooks and more addictive choruses. All in all my initial reaction to this album was 'pretty good, but not exactly what I was hoping for'.

After listening My Blood more however, I started to warm more and more to it. It's still true that this release is not as catchy and anthemic as When Death Comes, but it does thrash ahead with some pretty good energy. I don't rate this one as highly as the last, but nor is it by any means a bad album. Actually, is a really solid album that's head and shoulders above much of the current thrash scene. Good riffs and very headbangable. Most thrash bands could only hope for an album this solid from start to finish now days. Another bonus is the couple of bonus tracks I got with this one which are re-recorded versions of some old Artillery tracks. In the end, I prefer the originals as they were pretty damn good to start with, but it's still nice to hear the new singer's takes and he does an admirable job. I have no doubt this band would be good live for the new and the old material.

In the end, this is not something I'd consider a modern thrash classic like When Death Comes, but nor is the formula broken or the band putting out bad material. This is actually one of the better releases I've heard so far this year. The winning formula of middle eastern sounding riffs that thrash hard and some solid vocal deliveries that add to the energy is still intact. This just doesn't quite have that extra something to really push it over the top/to the same level as When Death Comes. I'd still highly recommend this album to any fans of Artillery and thrash in general. If you like your thrash metal with a power touch than this is very solid.

Highlights: Monster, Mi Sangre, Warrior Blood, Dark Days

Rating - 4.0/5

Anthrax - Worship Music

Thrash Metal
Megaforce

2011

1. Worship (Intro)

2. Earth on Hell
3. The Devil You Know
4. Fight 'em til You Can't
5. I'm Alive
6. Hymn 1 (Interlude)
7. In the End
8. The Giant
9. Hymn 2 (Interlude)
10. Judas Priest
11. Crawl
12. The Constant
13. Revolution Screams

There's been so much drama with Anthrax lately that I'd pretty much hit the point of not caring. This is one band who botched their own vocalist situation horribly and involved themselves in a disaster of their own making. How they treated John Bush is unforgivable and the way they handled Dan Nelson wasn't a whole lot better. My opinion of Anthrax as people went way down during this time (as if Scott Ian's VH1 cameos and The Damned Things weren't enough). Well, shit human beings doesn't necessarily equal shit music so let's separate those for a minute and dive into this new album shall we?

The first thing that struck me is that the bulk of the material does sound a lot like the Anthrax of old which should please the 'only Belladonna era is true' crowd. Personally, I've always enjoyed both the Belladonna and Bush eras so this didn't mean a whole lot for me one way or the other. The old school thrashiness is nice, but not exactly necessary to my enjoyment. That being said, I find the music here to be a nice throwback considering the fact Belladonna is in the mix. This has that nice blend of thrash with a touch of traditional/power that made early Anthrax addictive and energetic.

That being said, this does seem to me like a somewhat watered down version of what I've already heard from this band in the past. In large part I get this feeling from the fact the album just doesn't quite live up to the songwriting power of the past and Belladonna's singing. I don't think anyone can honestly deny this man's voice has faded over the years. Some time ago when I saw Anthrax back with Joey Belladonna opening for Judas Priest I left the show thoroughly unimpressed by both bands so I kinda felt this coming. Belladonna just can't wail like he used to and the music loses sound of it's power and aggression as a result. On the positive this music does seem suited to his current vocal range and I can't say these songs aren't enjoyable. They are. There are just times when I can't help but think this band would've been better off sticking with the stronger singer. It's not like I can't listen to this material and hear John Bush singing the songs just like he does with the actual older Anthrax music. There are also some moments in the later half of the album that seem like Bush era hold overs. Crawl in particular sounds more like something John Bush should be a part of.

In the end, this is a nice little nostalgic ride, but it falls a bit short of what the band once was and yes the Bush era material too. Sometimes the past is better left there. This is pretty good, but I'll always miss Bush in the band. Regressing doesn't impress me a whole lot. I'm not going to say this album isn't worth it or it's not an album I'll own, but it does leave me with a certain feeling of shaking my head. Backing away and judging this album on it's own merit it is mid-grade Belladonna Anthrax which still isn't bad and better than a whole lot of other bands. I guess my only other nitpick would be that the highlights are bunched together and the best material hits all at once. I'll own this, I'll spin this... but will I love this as much as old Belladonna Anthrax or Bush era? Probably not.

Highlights: Fight 'Em Till You Can't, I'm Alive, The Devil You Know

Rating - 3.5/5

Tankard - Vol(l)ume 14

Thrash Metal
AFM Records

2010

1. Time Warp
2. Rules For Fools
3. Fat Snatchers (The Hippo Effect)
4. Black Plague (BP)
5. Somewhere In Nowhere
6. The Agency
7. Brain Piercing Öf Death
8. Beck`s In The City
9. Condemnation
10. Weekend Warriors

There's never a whole lot of mystery when it comes to Tankard. What you see is pretty much what you get with this band and what you get is straight up thrash metal with silly/fun moments since the band's debut in '86. Really there hasn't been much in the way of stylistic changes... only minor tweeks here and there. Some might call this stagnant, others might call it being really true to themselves/the thrash scene. I guess it's whatever spin you want to put on it and if you're a fan or not.

Well surprise surprise this is another dose of straight ahead thrash metal in a familiar style. There's really not a lot of frills to their sound and it's just heavy shit to party to really. I can't say this album did much to really excite me and the songs don't scream new singles for the most part. That being said, hardcore fans of the band won't be disappointed even if this is unlikely to garner any form of classic/standout status. It's pretty much Tankard doing what they do and the songs have good energy. I just don't find most of these songs have that certain something... say a killer/unfamiliar riff or a strong memorable chorus to put them over the top.

The bottom line here would be that fans who have stuck with this band and their sound for this long shouldn't be disappointed. As a fan myself I'd say I'm not disappointed, but nor did this have the makings of a special album or one that's likely to make top lists except for the biggest of thrash die hards. Vol(l)ume 14 is a pretty decent, if run of the mill, thrash release. Nothing more and nothing less. I will say you could do worse and certainly the thrash metal scene has produced a number of less worthy bands than Tankard. If you're a big thrash metal fan this might be worth a look and there's nothing here to make any Tankard fan really Dislike it.

Highlights: Rules For Fools, Black Plague (BP)

Rating - 3.0/5

OverKill - Ironbound

Thrash Metal
Nuclear Blast

2010

1. The Green And Black
2. Ironbound
3. Bring Me The Night
4. The Goal Is Your Soul
5. Give A Little
6. Endless War
7. The Head And Heart
8. In Vain
9. Killing For A Living
10. The SRC

OverKill to me have always been at the top of the thrash metal genre. Truly one of my favorite bands and though they have attained some success I've always felt their name belonged in with the big thrash four. Up until recently I also would've considered OverKill to be one of the most consistent bands out there as they've always churned out solid albums on a regular release schedule and have quite a deep catalogue. That being said, the last couple have sadly not done a hell of a lot for me and I found myself getting a little worried about the future of OverKill.

Well, I guess everyone can have a dry spell. OverKill come back on this one in fine form to me. Ironbound feels like a step back and perhaps with this being their 25th anniversary they consciously decided to. Really, this album sounds more like something that could've come out around The Years Of Decay/Horrorscope to me as it's pure thrash madness. This is probably the purest thrash album they've put out in a long time and doesn't really let off the gas. The thing that separates this from some of their more recent material is it doesn't seem as thick in sound and groove oriented as some of their more recent albums. Very solid, speedier riffs drive the energy of this one and the songs really bring a lot of aggression to the table.

Basically, this is the album I wanted to hear out of OverKill. Ironbound brings a good bag of riffs to the table, a lot of energy, and memorable songs. This is signature OverKill and that is ok by me. Recommended to fans of OverKill and thrash metal in general. If you're a thrash fan, OverKill is just a must.

Highlights: The Green And Black, Ironbound, Give A Little, The Head And Heart

Rating - 4.0/5

Helstar - Glory Of Chaos

Speed Metal
AFM

2010

1. Angels Fall To Hell
2. Pandemonium
3. Monarch Of Bloodshed
4. Bone Crusher
5. Summer Of Hate
6. Dethtrap
7. Anger
8. Trinity Of Heresy
9. Alma Negra
10. Zero One

On the last album, King Of Hell, I think Helstar pretty much came back and gave every fan of Helstar what they wanted from the band... speed metal madness. Just a very good comeback and now it's time to see if it'll stick.

The answer is 'holy shit yes' apparently. From the opening riff of Angels Fall To Hell I knew I was in for a metal beast and this is exactly the aggressive, screaming riff fest I wanted when I thought of new Helstar. Simply put this album is Helstar at the top of their game and ready to rip your face off with a riff attack of epic proportions. The energy and aggression of this album is absolutely unreal and beyond my expectations in fact. When I heard Angels Fall To Hell I was instantly satisfied... then I heard Pandemonium and thought it was better... then Monarch Of Bloodshed kicked in and dropped my jaw to the damn floor. Whatever PCP this band took before recording this album or whatever pissed them off before writing it should continue to happen. Please?

Every one of these tracks resonates with me and makes me want to break shit. James Rivera sounds great snarling and screaming and the riffs and energy batter you with unrelenting ferocity. Seriously, Glory Of Chaos never seems to let up and it is indeed glorious. I think in total this album takes two melodic passage as a breather. Trinity Of Heresy has one slower moment and the outro is a slow 56 seconds. That's about it.

This album takes one on some sort of journey back to the glory of speed/thrash metal. By the end of the album on Alma Negra you almost get an extreme metal vibe for a moment as James Rivera's snarls become practically black metal, but it totally works. I cannot get enough of listening to this. I don't know what to say but for fuck's sake get this album if you want to headbang. Apparently they were just warming up with King Of Hell. I honestly think this could be their best album. This is not a horribly long album, but I'll take short and sweet. In a way that only makes me recall the best days of speed metal more. No fluff here... Just 10 songs that charge straight to the point and really make one. I think if this album had just a little more material of this caliber I would give it a perfect 5, but I can't fault it too horribly much obviously. I feel like I just had a metal orgasm.

Highlights: Monarch Of Bloodshed, Pandemonium, Angels Fall To Hell, Dethtrap, Anger

Rating - 4.5/5

Annihilator - Annihilator

Thrash Metal
Earache Records

2010

1. The Trend
2. Coward
3. Ambush
4. Betrayed
5. 25 Seconds
6. Nowhere To Go
7. The Other Side
8. Death In Your Eyes
9. Payback
10. Romeo Delight (Van Halen cover)

Annihilator are one of those bands where I'm really not sure why I continue to check out their new releases. I guess somewhere I have some small glimmer of hope this band may stop sucking and start putting out good music again. I used to be, once upon a time, a huge fan of this classic thrash metal act, but ever since All For You and the couple of albums that followed I have not enjoyed anything this band has done. A fair amount of this can be credited to vocalist Dave Padden, but also the sort of modern commercial touch this band has incorporated into their music. I really didn't go into this one expecting much of anything, but one can never know for sure.

Surprisingly, I don't totally hate this. Just that fact makes this album a hell of a shocker. Actually there is some fairly traditional thrash fare in here and some signature Jeff Waters riffs which is a pretty good start. Also, while still far from my favorite Annihilator vocalist, Dave Padden doesn't really annoy me on this album. I know, not exactly high praise, but it's pretty good for him. On this album he largely stays clear of the melodic/commercial sounding vocals and it only comes up a few times. For the bulk of this release he sticks to a harsher style and while still semi-modern it's more in that newer Exodus sort of way loosely speaking. The first three tracks in particular are actually enjoyable and showcase some of the more inspired, heavy, and intricate riffs Jeff Waters has come up with in some time. I actually found myself recalling old school Annihilator on these and that's gotta be worth something. All in all this album is not so far removed from the Joe Comeau era either as the sound is modern, but the style not as much. Not all the tracks are total winners, but nor are any really losers. I don't find myself really disliking any of this and again that's pretty good for me and newer Annihilator. Even the cover of Van Halen is halfway decent.

This isn't the greatest thing Annihilator has ever released or the album to make me love the band again, but the fact I can spin this and find some enjoyment in it has gotta be worth something. I doubt I'll ever really love Dave Padden as a singer, but Jeff Waters brings some good playing and some decent thrash metal songs to the fold here. Not bad... now just ditch Dave Padden and head farther back to the sound I really enjoyed.

Highlights: The Trend, Coward, Ambush

Rating - 3.0/5

Slayer - World Painted Blood

Thrash Metal
American

2009

1. World Painted Blood
2. Unit 731
3. Snuff
4. Beauty Through Order
5. Hate Worldwide
6. Public Display Of Dismemberment
7. Human Strain
8. Americon
9. Psychopathy Red
10. Playing With Dolls
11. Not Of This God

I was tempted to stamp the genre of this review 'brainless sort of thrash metal' before I even listened to this one. I'm not sure why I still check out new Slayer albums at all. I'm also not sure when the last time was, if ever, that this band had an original idea. Yeah I enjoyed their classic albums, like most, so I keep giving these a listen looking for some of the magic that touched songs like Angel of Death.

Nope... none of that here. I'm just gonna be blunt and tell you this is pretty shitty. I don't really care enough to mince words or make this review sound particularly fancy. If you've heard a Slayer filler track than you have heard this album. There's just nothing good about this. The songs are painfully predictable, the leads unimpressive, the shouting of Tom Arya standard and uninteresting. Hell, even the sound of the album is hollow and doesn't sound all that heavy. I'm not sure what World Painted Blood succeeds at other than making obsessive fanboys buy mediocre material to keep them in some cash. If you've got half a brain cell rattling around in your skull than this is not the album for you.

I think that pretty much wraps up this review. This is nothing new and this is nothing good. In a way I've almost gotta give it to Slayer though. They sure have milked limited songwriting ability into a career and hardcore following. Not sure how you do that. I guess you act tough and yell a lot about Satan. Other bands do this though and don't enjoy the same success. Not sure what their secret it.

Highlights: No

Rating - 0.5/5

Paradox - Riot Squad

Thrash Metal
AFM

2009

1. Suburban Riot Squad
2. Hollow Peace
3. Riptide
4. Rise In Rank
5. Evolution Reset
6. Nothingness
7. No Place To Survive
8. Dream Hero
9. Planet Terror
10. Psychofficial

I have to say that it's nice to see another Paradox album so soon. After the band reemerged with Collision Course it took a good 8 years for the follow up, Electrify to come along. Riot Squad follows quickly on the heels of the last one though so hopefully this means the band intends to be more full time. Electrify was a beast of a thrash metal album so I had high hopes for this one.

Well, anyone who liked the last one can pretty much relax. This is at least as good as Electrify and probably more intense. Where as the last album varied between balls out thrashing and more mid-paced numbers this one seems to lean more on the former. This is fine by me as my favorites off Electrify tended to be the speedier and more intense numbers like Monument, Second Over Third By Force, and Hyperspeed Hallucinations. Paradox really knows how to make a ripping, fast song and there's plenty to go around on this album. Really this album stays in high gear for pretty much the duration and this is just one to headbang to. I've gotta say that I love the hell out of this band's sound. This thrash with a touch of power sound is pretty near perfect in it's balance of melody and aggression. Between the soaring vocals and the riff assault this is one damn good metal album.

In conclusion, if you like thrash metal with a hint of traditional/power to the sound than this is an album for you. Between Paradox and Artillery there have been some really good albums in this sort of mold in 2009. Keep it up guys. Looking forward to catching this band at ProgPower XI.

Highlights: Suburban Riot Squad, Hollow Peace, Riptide, No Place To Survive

Rating - 4.0/5

Megadeth - Endgame

Thrash/Heavy Metal
Roadrunner

2009

1. Dialectic Chaos (Intro)
2. This Day We Fight!
3. 44 Minutes
4. 1,320
5. Bite The Hand That Feeds
6. Bodies Left Behind
7. Endgame
8. The Hardest Part Of Letting Go... Sealed With A Kiss
9. Headcrusher
10. How The Story Ends
11. The Right To Go Insane

I had a pretty good feeling about this album going in. It started with the announcement of Chris Broderick as the new second guitarist in Megadeth. Certainly, the guy is one hell of a shredder. Then when I heard songs like Headcrusher and 1,320 I just got further pumped. Megadeth really bringing the thrash? Could it be?

From the intro track my hopes continue as the album starts on a shredding instrumental intro. I love the guitar and the sound on this and it's a worthy inclusion. A lot of times I think intros are throwaways, but this is not the case here. From there we launch into a pure thrash metal track, This Day We Fight! which is a trip back to the old school of Megadeth. People have been asking for it forever and now it's here... at least partly. Would I say this whole album is thrash metal? That might be a bit of a stretch, but it is the thrashiest thing they've done in years. At the very least four tracks here (This Day We Fight!, 1,320, Headcrusher, and Endgame) are pure thrashing and I'd say both Headcrusher and 1,320 are new Megadeth classics. Most of the other songs find themselves sounding like material somewhere between Countdown and Youthanasia, which isn't really a bad thing by me either.

Overall I'd say this is a pretty good release that will please some fans who want Megadeth to hit high speed more. Now it's time for the nitpicks. This Day We Fight! and Endgame are pretty decent, but really they don't manage to reach the greatness of Megadeth's old thrash albums. Pretty good yes? Have I heard better? Yes. The same gos for most of the rest of the tracks that recall Countdown & Youthanasia. Good, but I've heard better from the band. I think this comes off as an overall solid album, but I only really see two tracks deserving of real continued live play. In terms of their more recent albums, I would say this is more consistent than The System Has Failed and brings more thrashing to the table, but it also has fewer real highlights. I'd say that album had a number of absolute great songs and this has a couple.

Basically, Endgame lacks the number of stand out songs to quite carry it to the next level. More consistent than System, but doesn't reach quite the same heights as often. I'd rate the albums about equally as it's a case of hits vs overall consistency. Certainly, this album is pretty good and worth picking up for the Megadeth fan. I'm not disappointed as this is a solid listen and much better than United Abominations.

Highlights: Headcrusher, 1,320, This Day We Fight!, 44 minutes

Rating - 4.0/5

Artillery - When Death Comes

Thrash Metal
Metal Mind Productions

2009

1. When Death Comes
2. Upon My Cross I Crawl
3. 10,000 Devils
4. Rise Above It All
5. Sandbox Philosophy
6. Delusions Of Grandeur
7. Not A Nightmare
8. Damned Religion
9. Uniform
10. The End

Skepticism is the first word that comes to mind when I thought about a new Artillery album without Flemming Ronsdorf. Certainly, I did understand why the band decided to move on without him, but that doesn't mean I won't miss his unique voice. The fact is though that the band wants to be more active and he does not. So be it. This is too good of a band to sit on the shelf for 10 years.

After listening to this album I am prepared to eat any words of doubt I had said about the band picking Soren Nico Adamsen as a new singer and continuing. This album is a monster and Soren slides easily into the role of Artillery's singer without changing the dynamic much. He is not a sound alike to Flemming, but he does have a knack for the same sort of power metal-like choruses and they retain much the same vibe. The thing that really amazes me about this release though is the bag of riffs these guys brought to the party. Holy shit does this album shred and the sound reminds me of a logical follow up to By Inheritance. In short, this album is everything I could have wished for and far more than I ever would've expected. When Death Comes is a nonstop thrash assault that is worthy of being called a modern thrash metal masterpiece and I am floored by it.

Really I never could've predicted this sort of a thrash metal beast. Losing Flemming seemed like a major blow to the band and their last attempt at a reunion BACK was not their best album as it was nowhere near as shredding and seemed a bit phoned in at times. It appears that with a more cohesive lineup the band has found their fire again and one of my favorite thrash metal bands ever is back with a vengeance. I'd say When Death Comes stands up with their best material and that's a high compliment from me as By Inheritance is one of my favorite metal albums. If you are a thrash metal fan then you need this album and if you like thrash metal with a hint of power like perhaps Paradox then you really need this album.

Highlights: When Death Comes, 10000 Devils, Upon My Cross I Crawl, Sandbox Philosophy, Not A Nightmare

Rating - 4.5/5

Testament - The Formation Of Damnation

Thrash Metal
Nuclear Blast

2008

1. For the Glory of
2. More than Meets the Eye
3. The Evil has Landed
4. Formation of Damnation
5. Dangers of the Faithless
6. The Persecuted Won't Forget
7. Henchman Ride
8. Killing Season
9. Afterlife
10. F.E.A.R.
11. Leave Me Forever

I think everyone has at least one 'big name' metal band they just don't really get and Testament has always been just that for me. It's not that I hate them or think all their music is bad, but I do find their songs very hit and miss. For every Over The Wall there's something I think is just complete filler. As such I've never gotten into the band much and I wouldn't really call this a fan review. None the less, I am a fan of thrash and I figured I'd check this one out to see if it had some worthy tracks.

One thing I do like about this album is that it takes a step back to a slightly more traditional sound than Testament has pursued in awhile. For a bit there Testament tried to harden up their sound with death-ish vocals and really, to me, it was not only lame but a waste of one of the strong points of the band... the singing. On this album though Chuck Billy is back in full form and his vocals are probably the overall highlight of the album. The death-ish vocals only work there way in sporadically aside from the title track which just sounds like shit honestly.

In terms of the guitar I have to give a fairly mediocre review. Mostly this album likes to settle into it's modernized thrash chugging with little technicality put into leads and only a little popping up in the solos. The songs work in a 90s thrash sorta way with a fair amount of muscle to the sound of the guitar and some memorable grooves, but I can't help thinking Skolnick is capable of more. The songs mostly make the grade but it's not due to any great shredding.

In the end I think this one will please fans because it is more traditional and the songs are pretty decent. If you're a Testament fan of old than this is probably worth it. By this time you probably know if you like what Testament does or not and there's no huge changes other than a step back.

Highlights: Henchman Ride, Killing Season

Rating - 3.0/5

Tankard - Thirst

Thrash Metal
AFM

2008

1. Octane Warriors
2. Deposit Pirates
3. Stay Thirsty!
4. Hyperthermia
5. Echoes Of Fear
6. When Daddy Comes To Play
7. Zodiac Man
8. G.A.L.O.W.
9. Myevilfart
10. Sexy Feet Under

There aren't a lot of bands out there more consistent than Tankard or an easier band to write reviews on. Basically, this band is always just a fun heavy thrash experience and never stray too far from the formula of pissed off music about beer and silliness. I didn't really expect any exception here.

Thirst is indeed no exception to the Tankard rule and this album blazes with intensity while not taking itself too seriously. Fun, catchy, and energetic this album is, simply put, everything a Tankard album should be and remains much in the same sound as the past couple releases. I don't know much else I can say other than that and the fact the release gets my head banging. Nothing reaches outside of the box really, but I don't think it needs to here. I will say the creepy little girl singing in When Daddy Comes Out To Play makes it a memorable track and both Myevilfart and Sexy Feet Under are suitably amusing Tankard songs.

If you've never heard Tankard than here's what you need to know... heavy as hell German thrash that never takes itself too seriously. If you're a fan of a Slayer-esque sort of sound and what I'd call "party thrash" than this would be a good one to check out.

Highlights: When Daddy Comes To Play, Octane Warriors, Hyperthermia, Zodiac Man

Rating - 4.0/5