Well, we’re in the start of the summer, so that means some new stuff is finally coming out. Here we go.
MEGADETH‘s Supercollider. This thing sucks butt. You really have to check out Mustaine’s review of his own record. It’ll make you want to punch yourself in the dick, or laugh. This is the audio equivalent of getting HPV, but what’d you expect? 1 Fucking Peck.
HAVOK release Unnatural Selection, and while is not a huge departure from their previous releases, this is pretty beaking good. This may actually win these Denver thrashers some new fans. There is a noticeable injection of space and some nontraditional thrash elements here, which creates some catchy moments, yet doesn’t seem to stick after a couple of listens. There is a little more melody on this record, too, in part due to the vocals. Don’t me wrong: This is a thrash record through and through, and they certainly don’t come across as some genre-hopping bandwagon riders. The punk elements seem to soak through this release, which pleases this birdbrain to no end. All in all, this is a solid album. It just kind of feels like a band in transition, although that’s just in my opine. 7 Fucking Pecks.
Chicago’s blackened noise geniuses LOCRIAN release Return to Annihilation on Relapse. This is a bit of a departure for the trio that’s sometimes referred to as “black metal.” Those parallels are here: This is dark and dense, and definitely moody. Comprised of ambient soundscapes that at times are equally beautiful and disgusting, the epicness of this release is hard to deny. There are elements of rock, drone, electronic, noise rock and whatever these guys can summon up from the dark recesses of their collective fucked-up psyche. This one is hard to fit into a nice little box as far as a description goes, but it’s really good. Definitely not metal in the traditional sense, but this thing is heavy. Check this out, you won’t regret it. 8 Fucking Pecks.
RAMMING SPEED come at us with their unique blend of thrash, grind, D-beat and punk on Doomed to Destroy, Destined to Die, and it rips. Calling them a thrash band just barely scrapes the surface of what these guys unleash on these 13 tracks. It moves and it breathes, due in part to the Kurt Ballou production, and is a nonstop ride of pure fun and mayhem. Intense and full of raw emotion, this in unrelenting and unforgiving. Good nods to NWOBHM too with the solos. 7 Fucking Pecks.
