Havok-Unnatural Selection

Candlelight Records
2013

Last time around it was Havok's 2012 EP, "Point of No Return", that I covered. With 2 original tracks and 2 cover tracks it served it's purpose of being a nice little "tide you over" type of release. Now we find ourselves looking down the barrel of this Denver act's 3rd full-length release. In a lot of ways it's more of the same while it's also both a bit of a step-forward in terms of overall effectiveness and a lost opportunity to lay waste to any of the naysayers. How so? Well, first what works. Vocalist David Sanchez is as good as ever on the mic and between his guitar playing and that of Reece Scruggs (Go Smack Alice and Monolith) things really get cooking as evident on the Megadeth-like track "Waste Of Life". With a new bassist in toll (Michael Leon of  the melodic death metal act The Absence) and the ever-evolving mad skills of drummer Pete Webber (indeed he is a beast on the drums) this 4-piece act thrashes things up while giving the listener cuts like "Living Nightmare" to enjoy. The band still revolves around the worship of Bay Area thrash in one form or another as heard on the album's opening track "I Am The State". Here you'll find yourself  neck-deep in the kind of thrash metal that made Death Angel so much fun to begin with and, while it might be stretching it a bit to proclaim that Havok are finally started to put it all together (at least originality-wise), it's one of those numbers that makes you remember why you got into thrash metal to begin with! While these kind of numbers are sure to please thrash metal fans there's only so much one can re-play these old familiar riffs before you start to see some of the cracks in the foundation! Unoriginality, therein lies the downside of Havok's 3rd full-length album. While it's got some rock-solid thrashers there is quite a bit of this album that, simple put, sounds as if it's been lifted from the very first wave of Bay Area thrash! Between that and a few dud numbers (one of which is a totally unnecessary and rather dull cover of Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave") and it ends up being a bit of stretch to say that all of this is better then then their sophomore release, "Time Is Up". Maybe a few choice cuts could qualify as such, but on the whole Havok's new disc is a tale of hits and misses. While it's a nice enough addition to this group's ever-expanding catalog, "Unnatural Selection" is not likely to end up as the band's crowning achievement. I suspect we might just see that on album number four. That is if they can keep at it together and truly evolve.

Havok-Point of No Return

Candlelight Records
2012


Havok's sophomore release was reviewed by Metal Mark (link below) and as I was just reading it (I like to re-read both of our old reviews on bands we've covered prior to writing the new reviews) I found myself in complete agreement with my friend on the band's influences. This is old school thrash from a band still rather young and just starting their career. With this special EP release you get two new songs, remakes of Sepultura and Slayer classics, and both of the thrashers music videos from their album that Metal Mark reviewed back in January of 2011, "Time Is Up". Opener "Point of No Return" is one nice little ball breaker. It starts off in early Prong territory before getting itself soaking wet in 80's thrash. "From the Cradle to the Grave' is just pure blood-soaked thrash not unlike Exodus meets Destruction. The Exodus influence is especially obvious although that is never a bad thing to hear if you ask me. Any band that must have loved those first three Exodus albums as much as I did (and still do!) deserves serious props. The two covers, "Arise" and "Post Mortem/Reigning Blood" are classics in their own right and while Havok might not improve upon these killer cuts they do them justice. Then again I'm not sure anyone could cover those two songs and make them sound better so I'll cut them some slack and just enjoy the break neck thrash for what it is. This Denver thrash band is the stuff Saturday nights are made for. In other words a night of cold beer drinking and sweating your ass off slam dancing. This is a nice treat for Havok fans and if the two new tracks are any indication of the direction of album number three then we should all be in for a treat.




http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Havok-Time+is+up+

Havok-Time is up

Candlelight
2011


I remember first getting into thrash around 1985-86. It was an exciting time because before that I had been into classic style metal like Iron Maiden, Priest, Dio and the like. I still enjoyed that style too, but as I began to get into acts like Slayer, Metallica, Exciter and others the speed and power of their sound sucked me in immediately. The power and the excitement of thrash had me hooked. Over the next few years I looked forward to each and every thrash album that I got a hold of. Not all were gems of course, but there was still that feeling of anticipation and it was a great feeling when a new thrash album did turn out to overwhelm you. Now twenty plus years later and thrash has come back. Many bands coming the sound of the masters of thrash from the 80's, but all of them capture that excitement. Much of that is due to the fact that so much was down in this genre on the first go around that now it's hard to sound fresh. That being said I approach many thrash albums without the high hopes I did years ago. So when a thrash act impresses me nowadays then you better believe they are doing something right. Such is the case with Colorado's Havok. This is just pure kick you in the head style thrash as evidenced by tracks like "Killing tendencies" and "Fatal Intervention". Havok have every note down because there is no filler or dead space anywhere on this album. They just keep burning and chugging along hitting you everything have. For style comparisons think a mixture of Exodus, Anthrax, Destruction and other top bands of the day. They are just total copycats though because one play of "D.O.A" or "Out of my way" will burn them into your brain and have you shouting the choruses to yourself for the rest of the day. This is an addictive album and probably one I will be playing many times throughout 2011. The music is top notch, the vocals slice right through you, the drums are fitting and the production is smooth but brings all the best bits to the surface. Only a few weeks into the year and Havok have already set the bar very high for thrash releases.

http://www.myspace.com/havok