Rotting Cadaver-Deadication To Kill

Self-Release/Independent
2017

Released on April 23rd, "Dedication To Kill" appears to be the first album from Ohio's own Rotting Cadaver. If that's the case then mad props are in order for this (hardcore-infused) crossover/raw thrash metal band! With nine-tracks in all and a run-time of under twenty minutes, "Dedication To Kill" opens up strong with a hardcore thrasher called "Let it Die" and then moves on quickly to the group's signature song.  On the gut-puncher that is "Rotting Cadaver" this Ashtabula-based band pays homage to the crossover scene of yesterday (or more specifically the mid-eighties to early nineties one!) while simultaneously tossing some (bleak) black metal-like vocals into the mic. It's a sick mash-up that helps set the pace for the rest of this brutal and provocative release! Sandwiched in between the garage thrashers "Dead Stop" and "Precious Death" you have "Fucked" and "Christian Faith is Fake(CFIF)". The later clocks in at 53 seconds while "Fucked" is just 30 seconds long! These two tracks are quick and lethal and they give "Dedication To Kill" a bit more of a hardcore punk vibe. Elsewhere you have "Anger Within", "War" and "Kill Them All". All three tracks are cool, but it is the ever present groove of "Anger Within" that I really dig. On said track the guys in Rotting Cadaver put a tiny bit of Pantera into what is otherwise some killer (raw and riff-heavy) thrash. It's a nice change-up and it goes a long ways toward showcasing the group's versatile edge. By the time the Slayer-like "Kill Them All" closed things off I was definitely sold on this band's skill and potential. For more information on this young band be sure to head over to the group's Facebook page. Honestly it does not give us a lot to go by, but at least it offers an opportunity to follow this Ohio metal band.

Hosoi Bros-Abuse Your Allusion III

Typhoon Killer Records
2016

 Self-described as "Party Thrash" (see below), Hosoi Bros is a up-and-coming metal band from Memphis, Tennessee that just released it's full-length debut album, "Abuse Your Illusion III", back on September 23rd. This buzz-worthy group is comprised of  Apple (guitars, vox), Severin (guitars, vox), Drewbie (bass), and Jimmy James Blasingame (drums) and they have been thrashing up the scene since early 2010. Having shared the stage with everyone from Red Fang to Skeletonwitch, Hosoi Bros has slowly, but surely built up a loyal following and it is all thanks to this band's fun and catchy take on crossover metal! The 11-track "Abuse Your Allusion III" is this group's first full-length recording and it follows a pair of 2012 singles, "Wine Witch" and "Snorlokk". Geared towards both punks and metalheads, "Abuse Your Allusion III" has a slightly raw production job that recalls early releases from the likes of C.O.C., D.R.I., Murphy's Law, Gang Green, and S.O.D. Ultimately this gives the album a (wonderful) vintage vibe that all but transports you back to the good old days of tape trading and fanzines! And man oh man do I ever miss those days!! This one certainly takes me back, but given it's fair share of modern elements it never feels dated. It has a run-time of just over 36 minutes and it is available on CD, vinyl, cassette and as a digital download. With song titles like "Saint Tightus", "Thunder Train", "Topless Gnome",  "Drunk Donkey", "Unholy Hand Grenade", and "Bitches Are Nigh", the cheekily-titled "Abuse Your Allusion III" obviously does not take itself all that seriously, but it is a slamming classic all the same! This one gets a solid 9 out of 10....







"Party Thrash" = crossover metal that is as punk as it is metal. This is raw thrash meeting up with punk-tinged metal for an evening of beers and bowling while bands as diverse as the Sex Pistols and Slayer set the mood. Influenced as much by the Circle Jerks and Crumbsuckers as they are Nuclear Assault and "Kill 'Em All"-era Metallica, Hosoi Bros turns "Abuse Your Allusion III" into one of those great releases where anything is possible! While listening to just one song on this 11-track album I heard shades of Black Sabbath, Sepultura and Dr. Know!! You just cannot beat that folks.....

Zamboni-Zamboni

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Appropriately-enough formed in October of 2010, Zamboni is a punk-infused crossover/thrash metal band whose two founding members (Robert Orr-guitar, vox, mixing, engineering and Chris Butera-bass, vox, artwork) hail from Brooklyn, NY and Wantage, NJ. The self-titled "Zamboni" is this quirky band's first full-length album and it follows in the footsteps of 2013's "Sucks! The Stupid EP" and a couple of releases from 2011*. On this flat-out fun (!) nine-track album we're treated to a vast array of influences that range from thrash (Testament, Exodus, Kreator, Overkill, Megadeth, Lääz Rockit, Anthrax, and Forbidden) to crossover (The Accused, C.O.C., Suicidal Tendencies, M.O.D., Cryptic Slaughter, Leeway, and D.R.I. ) with a few cool odds and ends (Carnivore, Dead Kennedys, S.N.F.U., October 31, and The Ramones) tossed in for good measure! While "Zamboni" itself features a pair of guest drummers (and good ones at that!) in a live setting members Robert Orr and Chris Butera will utilize a drum machine from this point forward. That's neither here nor there really as "Zamboni" is the subject at hand and this is one hell of a groovy topic that you are going to want to invest time in over and over again! With great song titles like "Nuclear Hatred", "Brain Hemorrhage", "Norman Bates", "Killer Croc", "Stick em", and "World War Z" you should have a pretty good idea of what you're getting yourself into ahead of time, but just in case let's just say that a album like "Zamboni" could effortlessly sit between Slayer and S.O.D. in your collection! You can pre-order this short but sweet album by clicking on this link. Incidentally that same link will give you a chance to hear the awesome crossover/street metal number that is "The Greater Evil" and it's just one of many cool tunes that make up this highly-recommend debut album from Zamboni!


* In 2011 alone the band released a demo entitled "Blood on the Ice", the aptly-titled "Mother of the Resistance EP," and the self-explanatory album, "Live Stupidity". Zamboni's back-catalog can be downloaded for free by heading over to the group's bandcamp page that is provided below. 

Links:

https://zamboni.bandcamp.com/album/zamboni
https://www.facebook.com/Zamboni666
https://twitter.com/ZamboniMetal

Disboskator-Terror In Dreamland

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Disboskator is a heavy & harsh thrash metal band from Prato, Tuscany (Italy) that has been actively haunting dreams since their inception back in 2012. The 18 minute plus EP, "Terror In Dreamland", is their first release and it was produced by the talented Leonardo Bellavista. Edoardo Scali (vox/guitar), Filippo Mannini (bass), and Tiziano Valentini (drums) make up this nightmarish band whose KILLER sound is more old-school than modern. Thank the gods and masters of metal for that! Early Anthrax would be a good starting point as far as reference points go, but with Disboskator there is more of a raw edge going on and this trio is way more frightening than said New York band could ever hope to be! In addition to the "Fistful Of Metal" lads, Disboskator definitely takes a page or two from the late-eighties/early-nineties underground thrash scene as well as the likes of Pantera and Exhorder. All of which adds up to some SMASHING & THRASHING good times with the only real downer to this name-your-price download being it's short length!

Interview with Ken Cuccaro of Sonick Plague

Last weekend I covered the new self-titled album from thrash metal warriors Sonick Plague. Now it's my pleasure to post this interview that I had with the band's drummer, Ken Curraro. Enjoy!


Andy- First off I want to thank you for talking with us. Could you give us a brief rundown on the band? Stuff like who's who in Sonick Plague these days and what the current status of your band is.

Ken-Chuck Crilly guitar , Matt Dupre guitar , Sean Donnelly bass and vocals and Ken Cuccaro drums. Currant status is we are active and available for any occasion ...weddings, , funerals anything we're ready to roll!

Andy-Your upcoming self-titled release is a re-recorded version of your debut album. What made you decide to go that route verses just re-releasing it in a remastered form?

Ken- When we recorded the album the first time around we were on a shoe string budget and really pressed for time , the sound on the album was pretty bad and we really kinda wanted to do it the way we wanted to this time . Start over fresh kinda thing. And we don't know were the masters are.

Andy-And how did the deal with Pavement come about? 

Ken-It was all Chuck. He just has worked his ass off on this since the beginning. The Pavement guys are great; they've been extremely cool

Andy-What has the band been up to in the intervening years?

Ken- The band hasn't done anything in between. As individuals we all played in different bands. Myself I'm more of an adventure kinda of guy I did a lot of harp seal hunting, things of that nature.


Andy-Sounds like a good time to me! So, rumor has it you're working on new material. What can you share?

Ken-Yes we are working on new material but i really cant share the details with you. Top secret stuff. But between me and you its very groovy . Your pretty tricky Andy you slid that one in there and if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise!

Andy-Fair enough! Obviously a lot has happen between your first album and now. Where do you see the band fitting in these days?

Ken- Its really hard to say where we'll fit in now hopefully people will like it. We're at the mercy of the people who listen. I don't care really where they put us or what genre we get stuck in as long as they can dance to it.

Andy-Sonick Plague has it's influences and then your sound has likely influenced more than a few of today's bands. Care to drop any names for BOTH categories? Surely you must hear some bands and say "Hey, that's our sound!" . Right?

Ken-Oh man we have so many influences its crazy. Its such a broad spectrum everything from the Ramones to Englebird Humperdink . As far as bands we've influenced honestly I don"t know. I've had people tell me over the years that they've heard stuff that sounds like our riffs. That would be an honor. Although I know for certain Beyoncé has totally ripped us off. She's looking to get sued very soon. There's definitely a few out there but they'll never admit it. Honestly Andy we don't care about that stuff the only thing we give a shit about is people like you who listen to our stuff and dig it. That's it. We aint shit without all our friends out there its people like you that makes this worth it!

Andy-Frankly-speaking it's about time someone take down Beyoncé! I knew she ripped off Slayer and stole some of their classic riffs, but I didn't realize she ripped you guys off too! Unreal! Let's get back to the influences though. Who would you say influenced you as a drummer? 

Ken- Gene Krupa, my Pop loved the big band stuff and I loved the way that guy played. The drummers from that era are my favorites, I think that's why I never went to double bass I learned by listening to those guys. As far as metal guys, there some great ones out there. I always thought Charley Benante was great and Nicko Mcbrain was a huge influence. Philthy Phil Taylor, Mickey Dee is fantastic.So many great ones its tough. Some of these young dudes are amazing ,they fly!!!

Andy-Great list! OK, you've got the self-titled album and the band has new material in the works (which you won't tell me about LOL!). What else does 2015 have in store for Sonick Plague and where would you like to see all of this go? 

Ken- We'll take it as far as we can. Its really mid-aged crisis experiment.

Andy-I hear ya! Since you guys are active again what does your tour schedule look like? Any chance you'll hit Ohio? (Hint-Cleveland or Akron!) 

Ken-Oh hell ya!!!! WE LOVE OHIO. Damn man one of our favorite shows ever was there at the big club in Cincinnati with Death Angel, I think it was called Blondies. Our first tour we did Akron ,Cleveland, it was awesome!! The people there treated us like royalty. Great people man!!!! .But no schedule yet- we'll see what happens.

Andy-If and when you find out be sure to let me know so that I can post the information for our readers. Anyway, since we're talking about live shows and all that jazz what would be Sonick Plague's idea of the ultimate line-up? 

Ken-Sonick Plague- Motorhead- Ted Nugent -Sammy Hagar, STOP LAUGHING YOU BASTARD! (Editor's note: It was only the Sammy Hagar one that made me chuckle!) I just want to hang out with Sammy that guy's got it made- I got to find out how he does it. Every time I see that guy on TV he's so chilled, drinking his tequila and shit at the beach, hot chicks walkin' around eating some shrimp. Damn he's got it all figured out . And I really really want to go huntin' with the NUGE!!!

Andy-You and me both Ken! I love the NUGE and I dig hunting (even if my health keeps me from doing it anymore I'm hoping my children will pick it up). Since we're talking about other bands and artists anyway here's a good question. If you guys put together a album or EP of covers what bands/artists would you choose? 
Ken-I would love to do that. Right now we're working on "Burn" by Deep Purple but in the past we've done 'Free Bird", "Love Gun", and "Dazed and Confused" to name a few. I would personally love to do an old Aerosmith song- something from "Get Your Wings" or "Rocks". Of course, beefed up! I've always wanted to do "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who....but I get shot down every time.

Andy-That's too bad as I'm betting that Sonick Plague would do the song justice! Let's change gears some Ken. When your band's movie eventually comes out (And it will! I mean why wouldn't it?) who do you want to play your part? 

Ken-Marlon Brando, oh shit hes dead. I'm gonna have to go with Vince Vaughn for me, Chuck-Owen Wilson, Matt-John Heder, Sean-Gary Busey. I'm telling you seriously the story would make a great movie- its better than the music. Or we could use puppets.

Andy-Puppets might work! LOL! To tie in with the movie I see a whole line of Sonick Plague merchandise. Everything from your own brand of cereal to toilet paper! You'll be the new KISS! Are you ready for that kind of exposure? 

 Ken-Ya damn right we are but I won't be as much of a dick as Gene Simmons! I'm already thinking of my own line of back braces!! We are in the talks now with speedo, cross your heart bra company, Trojan, and working on ideas with Nike creating shoes for kids born with 2 left feet. I also would like to talk to someone from axe on creating my own scent so if you know anybody over there have them get a hold of me.

Andy-That all sounds great! How about Sonick Plague action figures?  Let's talk about it!! Besides drumming and obviously seal hunting(!) what special features would your figure come with? 

Ken-Definitely kung fu grip and specialized weapons for killing terrorists....., torches and such. Dude I'm a hill billy! I love weapons so anything we can get on that guy let's do it!

Andy-There's nothing wrong with being a country boy or your love of weapons! And with weapons in mind would you care to partake in some parting shots? I always give artists the last shot word!

Ken- In parting I'd like to thank you for your support, you have no idea how much it means to us . Seriously this whole thing started out as practicing to do a reunion show for our buddy we lost. I didn't think this many people even remembered us it's just been a damn blast to this point. As I mentioned before none of this would have been possible without the hard work from Chuck. He's been nonstop since we started. We also have some great partners with Pavement, Munzy, and Clawhammer- they've been great. I hope people that have never heard the record before will like it. And if you get any notion of stealing my ideas, me and you are gonna go Andy!!

Andy-No thanks Ken! I've seen your pictures and you're built a brick house! Meanwhile I'm built like grass hut!!!! A out of shape hut with more health problems than we have time to address in any one article! But seriously, thanks again for talking with us and best wishes for you and your great band! For all of our readers if you haven't had a chance to do it yet then be sure to check out my review of this band's bloody raw /super tasty self-titled CD. It's super solid thrash metal that is lean and mean and it can be purchased online by heading here. You can also pick up a sweet looking t-shirt to go along with this highly-recommended album so that you can represent Sonick Plague wherever you might roam! Righteous! For more information on Sonick Plague be sure to check out the band on Facebook which you can (and should) do by clicking here. And as always be sure to keep it LOUD and PROUD kids!

HexenHammer-Underground

Heaven and Hell Records
2015

Hailing from Columbia, Tennessee, HexenHammer (which is German for ''Malleus Maleficarum'') was a underground speed/thrash band that was active in one form or another from 1987 until at least 1992. "Underground", which is an appropriate enough title for this release given the cult-lie status of this band(!), was originally the title of a 4-track demo recording that this proto-black metal band (or would it be blackened thrash?) released in 1990. This recently-released CD collects that obscure (and highly sought-after by fans and collectors alike!) demo as well as another 4-track recording session that the band made in 1992. Unfortunately my promo copy does not include the two bonus tracks from that session, "Committed" and "The Cutting Edge", but I'm more than happy to report the great news of this re-mastered collection and in the process I'm also going to take a stab at explaining the important place that this archival set holds in the history of extreme heavy metal and proto-black metal. Re-mastered by Jamie King at The Basement Studios in Winston Salem, NC, "Underground" was culled from the best material possible. The album's disclaimer makes note of this and therefore I'm going to make note of it. After all, "Underground" was originally recorded on 4-track and from the sounds of things even that was a very humble experience! Taking that into account the music here is not bad at all and, frankly-speaking folks, I've certainly heard much worse. Hell, I'm heard some supposed modern-day recordings that are not as good as this! My guess is the only people who will complain about the sound of this collection are the sorts who like to find something to complain about anyway! No needs to name names as these people are EVERYWHERE these days and it's not going to get any better anytime soon I fear. But, I digress. We're hear to talk about HexenHammer and this (long thought lost) collection of raw speed/thrash. Lead by lead guitarist/vocalist Ronnie Dean ( a maniacal singer and musician who is the sole original member to appear on both sets of demo recordings on this collection) and (from the looks and sounds of it) originally appearing live under cover of hooded masks, HexanHammer's sound was a lightening streak of metallic frenzy across a blood-red sky! There's no other real way to describe it! While technically more thrash than death metal, HexanHammer nonetheless drew it's strength from the likes of Venom, Slayer, Bathory, (early) Celtic Frost, Death, (early) Voivod, and (early) Sepultura. Those would seem to be the key sources of influence although we can't rule out everyone from Motörhead to Pentagram either! The things is you have to remember when this band first formed and when these recordings first came out. "Underground" was originally released in 1990 after all. That was when the thrash scene was still in full-swing and bands like HexenHammer were starting to come into there own and experiment with elements like death and extreme metal. Tape trading was all the rage so it's no wonder that "Underground" gained the legendary status that it did! At the time I was still in high school and living in the small town of Mantua, Ohio. Even though I was neck deep in tape swapping and devouring anything and everything BRUTAL THRASH  (especially stuff that would have been as seemingly evil and mysterious as this lot was!) I sadly never heard of this band the first time around otherwise I would have hunted this demo down! It was only some years later I heard the rumors. Those rumors proved true as "Underground" fits that era well and for fans of the old (thrash/death metal) tape-trading days this limited-edition CD should bring back the same kind of great memories that I have! For youngsters though this collection should serve as an example of extreme metal's roots and why it's important to gather up these recordings before they are lost to time. While you can pick up the digital copy of "Underground" here I would not settle for anything less than the full-length CD with the bonus tracks. Additionally the CD features new artwork and a expanded booklet with never before seen photos! It's a fitting tribute to this cult band that for whatever reason never made it past the demo stage of it's career.

Electric Vengeance-Manic Possession

Self-Release/Independent
2015

With a couple of demos and a 2012 EP called "Street Metal Attack" already to their name, Electric Vengeance now roll out their first full-length album with "Manic Possession". If this Texas-based band's name or this blistering album's artwork isn't enough to fill in the blanks for you then maybe song-titles like "Possessed in the Pit",  "Parasitic Punx!", "Meat Grinder"and "Super Shredder" will? If you're still at a loss as to the name of this game then I'll help you out. This is THRASH  (or more specifically crossover thrash) of the take no prisoner's and take no shit variety with "Manic Possession" primed and ready for your next mosh metal party! Other than the 56 second "Frustrated!" (where bass player Napaulm {sic}takes hold of the mic) the lead vocals "Manic Possession" are handled by guitarist Bran Damage and it's Trey Lunabomber that you'll hear banging the holy f**k out of a drum kit in the background! Songs like "Electric Harry" and "Second Chance" actually recall several bands that this wicked trio has shared the stage with such as D.R.I. and Raven while a song like "Parasitic Punx!"gives you your daily allowance of the essential three S's. That would be S.O.D., Suicidal Tendencies and Slayer! Thrash rockers will love "Graffiti Plea" and the aforementioned "Meat Grinder" almost sounds like "Bonded By Blood"-era Exodus and M.O.D. getting together for a quick jam session. There's probably no need to state the obvious, but I'll do it anyway. In the mid-late eighties album's like "Manic Possession" were all the rage and some would try to tell you that they should stay there. That's not how I see it obviously. Especially seeing as albums like "Animosity", "Speak English Or Die", "Crossover", "M.O.D. For U.S.A.", and "Suicidal Tendencies" sit neatly at the top of my weekly play lists. The truth is the thrash scene would get kind of stale after awhile if all we had was next generation Bay Area and Teutonic thrash. Thank God then we've got bands like Electric Vengeance and their album "Manic Possession" to shake, rattle and thrash things up! Speaking of which, "Manic Possession" can digitally be found on iTunes and Amazon while you can contact the band on Facebook for hard copies. Meanwhile I'll be adding this album to my weekly play list of crossover thrash as well as suggesting it to all my fellow friends who actually lived through the originalmid-late eighties crossover scene!

Harriers - Volte​|​Face

Self-Release/Independent
2015

I don't know about the rest of you, but I just love that cover! It snagged, tagged and bagged me before I even knew what the holy heck was happening and all I remember thinking at the end of the abduction was "I sure hope that the music is halfway as decent as this grim reaper cover art suggest!". Thankfully for Montréal, Québec's Harriers (https://www.facebook.com/harriersmtl) their brand-spanking new album does a bang-up job of showing off crossover/hardcore thrash at it's meanest and with the throaty voice of Bine Robusto leading the way this street-legit outfit SHREDS it's way into your eardrums before blowing chunks out of your old grey matter! Sure it's all a bit bloody and raw (or at least undercooked) and yes, at times it does blur together like a wall of metallic noise waiting to topple down and crush the life out of you. No one is going to debate that. For what it is though and for what it represents an album like "Volte​|​Face" will likely appeal to fans of underground metal and those friendly folks who are a bit "older" like I am and who fondly remember ordering cassette demos out of the pages of Metal Maniacs and photocopied fanzines. That is the built-in crowd for rugged crossover types like this so if that describes you in the least then why not check out this the following link? 

https://harriersmtl.bandcamp.com/

Bootlegs-W.C. Monster (2014 Re-Release)

Minotauro Records
2014

The first of two cult re-releases from our friends over at Minotauro Records, "W.C. Monster" was the full-length debut from Iceland's own (pride and joy) Bootlegs. Initially released in 1989, with the group's only other studio recording (the self-titled "Bootlegs") appearing the following year, "W.C. Monster" is as much a reflection of the times as it is a creative & spontaneously diverse first take from a band mostly-unheard of outside of their native country! As unfortunate as that may be (especially seeing as there is just too much fun to be had given the unrestrained nature of this beast known as "W.C. Monster"!) one would think, fuck, let's make that HOPE that a fine re-release such as this one would finally rip the lid off of this hidden treasure once and for all! Especially seeing as this CD (as LOUD and PROUD as it wants to be!) seems perfectly suited for today's live fast, die even faster heavy fuckin' metal community! Formed in 1986 and (stylistically-speaking at least) aided by the gruff, near punk rock-like voice of lead guitarist Nonni this (oddly-named and criminally underrated) thrash/speed metal band was originally only active until 1991 or so. Since then it's been a case of on-again/off-again with the band reportedly back together once more as we speak. Born not only of some real classic thrash (Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, Anthrax, Voivod, Exciter and early Artillery), but bands as different as Suicidal Tendencies and the Subhumans this (sadly) short-lived band had piss and vinegar in it's veins making "W.C. Monster" a nice little banger of an album! Bootlegs has the fist-fighting fury down pat early on "W.C. Monster" thanks to garage thrasher "At The End..." and from there on out it's either more tender-loving raw thrash we're talking about (from the A bands: Agent Steel, Acrophet and Acid Reign to X, W and Z ones: Xentrix, Wargasm and Zoetrope!) or real nasty (hardcore-leaning) material from a band that could have been construed as trying to do the whole crossover thing! That would be C.O.C., S.O.D. and even D.R.I. although quite honestly this bunch never strayed too far off in that direction. Either way it's a win-win situation as Bootlegs rocks it all the same! Album-wise (or would it be package-wise?) this is what you are looking at with this stellar re-release:

Now that's nice right? Would you like it to get even better though? Yeah? How about we chat about this expanded package's bonus material then! During one of those "on again" moments Bootlegs recorded a live show which ended up being released (in limited fashion just like their two studio albums) in 2006. That show is split up between the two re-releases as a sort of "special treat". So, not only do you get a taste of Bootlegs in the studio (something which is damn fine cooking in and of itself!), but you get to hear one of Iceland's best kept secrets in the wild and unchained! And you know that raw, almost crossover-like band that occasional shows up on tape? Yep, you guessed it. Strip away the "restraints" of a studio and this was one band who took the phrase "lean and mean" to a whole new level! If you're old enough to remember the underground clubs and real dive bar scene of the eighties (where skinheads, greasy looking bikers and long haired thrashers all took the pit at the same time and shared the love along with plenty of blood!) then you'll certainly recognized the live sound that Bootleg cranked out! It comes splashing down like a blast from the past and from the outside looking in it's little wonder that Bootlegs was a local favorite! The bonus material alone made me remissness about those days when punk and heavy metal was still in the early stages of their relationship and wearing your favorite concert tee was a badge of honor not some silly trend. But, that's one story for another time. For now why not head over to Minotauro Records online store where not only can you find this great re-release, but "Bootlegs" (the band's sophomore release which I hope to cover in the next day or two!) and other fantastic gems from heavy metal's heyday! You can find all of that and more right here: http://www.minotaurorecords.com/ while you can check in the band itself by heading to:
https://www.facebook.com/bootlegsiceland

Nervosa-Victim of Yourself

Napalm Records
2014

Formed in 2010, with bassist/vocalist Fernanda Lira (ex-HellArise, ex-Hellgard) remaining the solo original member of this São Paulo-based thrash trio, Nervosa present their full-length debut in "Victim of Yourself". Proceeded by the 7" vinyl single "Time of Death" (self-released in August of 2012 it would be re-released by Napalm Records a mere month later!) this 12-track LP features extremely aggressive and legitimately fast thrash metal that has made fans out of fellow Brazilians' Max Cavalera (ex-Sepultura, Soulfly,Cavalera Conspiracy) and Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) as well as the one and only Bobby Blitz of Overkill! Those are some pretty solid endorsements when you think about it, but Nervosa deserves such credit given the mad skills that these three lovely ladies lay down on "Victim of Yourself"! Andreas Kisser, who issued the following statement: "Nervosa has everything to make history in metal worldwide and follow the steps of other great power trios like Motörhead, Destruction, Coroner and Krisiun!", probably sums up feeling best when it comes to a band like Nervosa and given the skilled-set of musicians that bassist Fernanda Lira (a fine heavy metal front-woman whose killer voice resonates with sheer power!) has chosen to surround herself with this power trio should go far! Besides Fernanda Lira the band Nervosa features lead guitarist Prika Amaral and drummer Pitchu Ferraz (ex-Ajna, As Mercenarias, Wander Wildner, ex-Hellsakura) and, without overstating the obvious here, this ladies-only power trio shreds as well as any/all of their male counterparts! For such insane and over-the-top (and yet technically sound!) thrash metal there is plenty of melody to go around, but when push comes to shove these fine ladies simply lay waste to everything they encounter with their BRUTAL sonic assault. Part old-school and part modern there is just too much to love about about this Brazilian trio and for fans of extreme thrash this one seems like a real no-brainer!

Demona-Speaking With The Devil

Infernö Records
2013

Chilean speed metal from Quebec, Canada? Yep, that's the case with the female-fronted Demona. Formed in 2007, with the sophomore "Speaking With The Devil" serving as the follow-up album to 2012's "Metal Through the Time", the band's early days were spent in Valparaíso until front-woman/lead singer extraordinar
Tanza (who started the band which, at least in it's humble beginnings, was a one-woman show after her previous band, Poisoned, disbanded) moved to Quebec in June of 2011. At that point Tanza recruited fellow-minded musicians in order to play live shows and (hopefully) give Demona a complete line-up. After the obligatory line-up changes (including adding Hugo "Witchhammer" Uribe from the Colombian band Witchtrap to the line-up mere weeks before the recording of their 2012, full-length debut album!) the band now features not only Tanza on lead vocals and guitars, but ex-Riotor member Gabriel Dufour (lead guitarist who is also apparently Tanza's ex-husband), bass player Jeff (ex-No Pity) and drummer Antoine Pellerin. Now, normally I don't include band photos with reviews when we are talking about line-up information and all, but in this case I just couldn't help myself. I'm sure most people will understand why!

All of which brings us to Demona's latest offering/album number two, "Speaking With The Devil". With "Speaking With The Devil" we get 11 songs with a total run-time of 41 minutes. Of course we should cross off both the "Intro" and "Outro" so really it's 9-tracks. Since they range in length from 2:42 ("Malvenidos") to 5:53 ("The Sorceror's Escapade") it's all good and besides, Demona does a lot to pack in as much punch as possible into each track so you'll get your metal's worth with this "Bad Boy"*! Interestingly enough the band's one track, "Dirty Speed Metal", offers a fairly good description of what's in store for the listener when it comes right down to the meat and potatoes of this four-piece. The music is somewhat rough around the edges, but those ragged ridges only help to heighten the awareness that what your listening to is every bit raw/real underground speed metal. Tanza's (thrash metal) voice can be a bit "intense" at times, but it still falls well within the range of "easily-accessible and somewhat-understandable vocal delivery" so it's never really an issue. Meanwhile her metal brothers give her plenty of room to do her own thing while still exercising their own skills. For a band that is still finding it's footing as a full-fledged outfit "Speaking With The Devil" is a good "starting point". One would like to think that with a few more albums under their belt and with a stable line-up in place a band like Demona could really go places. Let's hope so. For now though "Speaking With The Devil" comes recommended to those of you who female-fronted thrash acts as well as those of you like their speed metal a bit more ugly and mean.

* "Bad Boy", which is a real range the f**k track on this album, is finger-bleeding speed metal from hell and one of those numbers where you wonder how it is a band can play that fast and insane without causing a fire from all of the likely friction caused!

Ram-Page-The Depths Of Rage

Metal Scrap Records
2013

Fancy some death-tinged thrash metal? How about one with vocals (which in this case are provided by Privalov Vlad) that conjurers up images of fist bangin' demons? Sound like a winner in your book? If so then look no further then Ram-Page! This Russian band, whose name (at least for me) makes me reminisce about the good old days when I spent quarter after quarter at the arcade on a game in which you could destroy cities thanks to your mad monster skills, was formed back in 2010 with "The Depths Of Rage", which was just released this past October, serving as their 3rd full-length studio album overall. The band's latest album features 12 brutal tracks with influences mostly falling on all things "older". Picture the likes of Slayer, Hydra Vein, Exodus, Warrant (Germany's of course!), Kreator, Dark Angel, E-X-E, Sepultura, Overkill, Sodom and Death all getting together in one room with nothing being served but great (chilled) vodka. Maybe toss in a little bit of blacked thrash to keep everyone on their toes and that's (more or less) what you're in for when it comes to "The Depths Of Rage". With a current line-up that also features Privalov Sergey (guitar), Dolgov Dmitriy (bass) and Kasatkin Kiril (drums) Ram-Page are a great choice for those that love raw, nasty and sinister death thrash with all of the fixings!

Zombie Lake-Plague of the Undead

Iron Shield Records
2013

With "The Walking Dead" counting down it's episodes until it's winter-time slumber why not take the time to check out this zombie-themed act with me? The humble beginnings of Zombie Lake, which likely takes it's moniker from the 1981 horror film of the same name, can be traced back in 2003 when guitarist/bassist Derek Schilling (Neglect/Pyschomanthium/Arkham 13) struck up a friendship with original Protector vocalist Martin Missy. The story goes that Derek, after sending a e-mail off a to a tribute site for the German thrash metal act, actually got a response back from Martin himself and the two discovered that they had very similar tastes as far as music goes. After swapping e-mails back and forth for awhile and further cementing their friendship, the pair decided to form an international, no-frills (but plenty of kills!), raw thrash metal band. To that end drummer Anthony Dalessio (Arkham 13) was recruited and together the three musicians ended up recording the 3-track "Metal for the Masses" demo in 2005. While the actual music on "Metal for the Masses" was apparently recorded back in 1999 (with the Protector front-man just adding his vocals to the mix) it was still more then enough to make an impact on the underground metal circuit as this new album can attest to.  As we turn our attentions now to modern day and Zombie Lake's "Plague of the Undead" we find that this U.S./Sweden connection, which now features the insane lead guitar skills of Ryan Lipinsky (Serpentine Path/Unearthly Trance/The Howling Wind), has a deal with Iron Shield Records and this aggressive debut-album that is (lyrically) all about the living dead while musically it's "stab you in the eye with a splinter of wood''* old-school thrash! Unlike the Nazi zombie cheesefest film that this bunch took their name from ( a "horror movie" that has tons more nudity in then actual gore) this Zombie Lake is plenty mean and vicious! Unless you knew ahead of time it's not likely that you would be able to catch on to the fact that the music of "Plague of the undead" was recorded in New York while the vocals were recorded in Sweden. This very much sounds like a "everybody was in the same place at the same time" kind of album from a band that should be, if justice was a real thing in this rotting world we live in,  more then just another another metal "project"! When you have Martin Missy of Protector fame (who sounds freakin' fantastic here!) cutting loose with a group of maniacal metalheads on what amounts to underground thrash how can you go wrong? Call me crazy, but I actually prefer this release to Protector's latest as Zombie Lake has more of a 1990 something, tape trading with fellow thrash fanatics from way across the pound, vibe to it. Its a album where you could just picture a bunch of friends jamming together in a small studio while everything is captured to tape for posterity. Due to released at the beginning of December on both CD and LP, with the LP version coming packaged with a poster from the sounds of it, "Plague of the Undead"  is for lovers of old-school thrash metal and those of us who just can't seem to ever get enough of the raw appeal of metal's underground scene!

*Scene from the movie Zombie!