MUNICIPAL WASTE
I lived through the first thrash wave having my favourites of the time - Overkill, Sodom, Nuclear Assault, even Anthrax (before stupidity took them over!!!), and Municipal Waste are the first of the new wave of thrash bands that seem to understand what it was all about originally. There’s a belief that they ARE a thrash band, not merely imitators. This (album number four from the Municipal Wasters) kicks straight in with a riff that sounds familiar and fresh at the same time, the production being exactly what is needed to get the best out of the riffs and songs. I admit I am impressed by this album! The punch reminds me early on of Overkill but the vocals are pure John Connelly from Nuclear Assault (albeit not quite as high or whiney!). There are some nods to classic metal - it must be remembered that the original thrash bands took some of their cues from classic metal as much as they did punk and hardcore. It’s a fun album that captures the essence of an era BUT I wonder if there are, at times, just a few too many generics in the sound helping to keep it familiar and will they ultimately stand the test of time? We’ll have to see. They do have some great standout moments though, such as track eight, ‘Upside Down Church’ uses a quote from seminal 80s horror film Phantasm 2 setting the scene with vocal effects that remind of the balls in flight from the movie! I think the main thing to say, though, is that when the (rather short) album finished I just wanted to play it over again. So they must be doing something right!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Earache Records
Album
MASSIVE AGGRESSIVE
Review by Paul Sims
RUNNING TIME:
28:50
RELEASE DATE:
24th August 2009
TRACK LISTING
1) Masked By Delirium
2) Mech-Cannibal
3) Divine Blasphemer
4) Massive Aggressive
5) Wolves Of Chernobyl
6) Relentless Threat
7) The Wrath Of The Severed Head
8) Upside Down Church
9) Shredded Offering
10) Media Skeptic
11) Horny For Blood
12) Wrong Answer; 13) Acid Sentence
2) Mech-Cannibal
3) Divine Blasphemer
4) Massive Aggressive
5) Wolves Of Chernobyl
6) Relentless Threat
7) The Wrath Of The Severed Head
8) Upside Down Church
9) Shredded Offering
10) Media Skeptic
11) Horny For Blood
12) Wrong Answer; 13) Acid Sentence
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"...Municipal Waste are the first of the new wave of thrash bands that seem to understand what it was all about originally."