Forgotten Gems: Decimator - Carnage City State Mosh Patrol

Neat Records
1989

If there was ever a band who summed up Neat's diverse catalog of acts it was certainly London's Decimator. For a label that carried NWOBHM bands and proto-thrash acts these five lads were the bridge band if you like. Best described as NWOBHM meets the raw thrash of Cronos and Lemmy inspired metal with some of the punk of GWAR thrown in this band was out of place and out of time in the late eighties. NWOBHM was out so for a band that had even a hint of that sound to survive would have been tough let alone if you were more in line with acts like the goofy Lawnmower Deth. Still though this is some sloppy at times and yet fun heavy metal that never ever takes itself too seriously. I mean obviously tracks like "Mutoids F.H." and "Blood Island" are not epic production numbers. Rather this is garage metal in nature and as such is more about drinking cheap beer and moshing it up in a sweaty little club with your friends on a Saturday night. As better writers before me have pointed out Judge Dredd seems to have been Decimator's one true influence. Well that and Motorhead/Tank inspired punk metal. When lead screamer Mad Dog yells out "I'm Lord Mad Dog, You Move And I'll Blow Your Fucking Head Off!' you know your off on one screwed up head trip. And screwed up is one thing this album is. It's odd finding a band that was so wrapped up in 80's metal and yet had to throw in as much Judas Priest love as they did Motorhead admiration. There is even some blues/hard rock to be found on the number "Rogue Decimator". It doesn't always work quite frankly and this album is odd no matter what year it is. Even so thrashier numbers like the pit-ready "C.C.S.M.P." and the all-or-nothing face ripper "Dust Bowl" harken back to a simpler time when heavy metal was still raw and explosive. Albums like this were the reason punks and metalheads got together in the first place and in another time or place with a few tweaks this could have been crossover on the fringe of society. Certainly not an album I'll shell out serious cash for or anything but considering it is floating around the net in the open it's worth checking out if your in the mood for something good but not quite right in the head.