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-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-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

Shallow Ground Interview

Recently I had the chance to sit down and chat with Connecticut metal band Shallow Ground.


Originally active in the 90s, thrash metal is the name of the game for this three-piece band and they play it just as well as other veteran acts from that time period. 

Andy-Would you mind introducing yourselves for our readers?




Well I'm Keith, guitar and vocals. Then there is Kurt on drums and Mark on bass.



Andy- If I am not mistaken your band's roots go all the way way back to the mid-nineties. What happened to break you up the first time around and then how did you get back together?


Well, my wife had our child and I stopped in 1998 to be a dad and not miss the early years. Then the band reformed in 08/09 and we have been active ever since. We got back together because we needed to play thrash again.



Andy-That's understandable! Since reforming your band has released a demo, one EP, and two full-length albums. Is it safe to say that you're making up for lost time?


No, we have always written tunes. But we never had a label behind us before, that believes in us, and trusts you to write some good riffs. Killer Metal Records has been nothing but cool and supportive of us!



Andy-As a 43 year old your potent brand of thrash brings back a lot of good memories. I've been listening to "Embrace the Fury" for a little while now and I just have to say how cool it is that real thrash is not just still alive and well, but kicking ass as much as it used to!



THANKS !!! I just turned 49 and have been in the thrash scene since the early 80s. We write how we feel and everything and everyone needs a good mosh rhythm in their life.


Andy-I totally agree! What was Shallow Ground's original influences?


Hate, anger and mosh



Andy-So pretty much my teenage years then! LOL! How about now? Are there any new bands that have helped shape your awesome sound?


Not really. I love old school thrash



Andy-You've been around for a long time now so I'd imagine you've had great shows and not so good ones. Care to share one of each?


Every show is great when you love to play .



Andy-I get that. As a follow-up to that question who are some of the bands that you've shared the stage with?


Wow, there are a lot of them such as Exodus , Devin Townsend, Onslaught, Havok, Mobile Death Camp and the list goes on.



Andy-If your band was asked to put out a album of covers what would some of the song choices be?


It would be a Thrash X mass CD. It's in the works as we have been messing around with songs and thrashing up the arrangements. Maybe in 2018 or 2019 you will have a thrash Xmass CD from us.



Andy-That would be cool. As a band that has obviously been around for awhile, Shallow Ground is in a perfect spot to help guide and mold a whole new generation of metalheads. Do you have any words of wisdom for new bands that are struggling to make it to that next level?

Yes, enjoy your selves! Don't be assholes to anyone! That means respect every fan! Have fun.


Andy-What is the scene like these in your neck of the woods these days? Are there any local bands that you think our readers should check out?


A shit ton of bands !!! Off the top of my head: Skull Hammer, Sonik Plague, Epicenter, Beyond Fallen.



Andy- Your latest album came out in 2015. Are you working on anything new?



Yes, and by the way, we are booking studio time today. LOL!



Andy-Sweet! I like to let bands have the last say. Is there anything that we didn't touch on that you might like to add?

Thank you very much for your time and for the great questions.

Speedwolf-Ride With Death

Hells Headbangers Records
2011


Speedwolf hails from Denver, Colorado and features ex-DDC front man Reed Bruemmer in it's ranks. Bruemmer runs Splattered Records and seems to have a thing for old school sounds as Speedwolf continues the trend started by DDC. This is a perfect fit for Hells Headbangers Records since they love all things retro in nature. Here Reed teams up with guitarist Kris Wells, bassist Jake Hoffman and former Havok drummer Richie Tice to take a walk down memory lane. In other words this is the sound made famous by Motorhead, G.B.H., early Metallica and the others. You could call this punk biker metal and no one would be the wiser. I hear what your saying though out there. "Why not just listen to your old Motorhead, Tank or Discharge albums and save your time and money?". What would be the fun in that though? "Ride With Death" is a fun album even if it isn't breaking any new ground. You can tell Reed loves those older bands and just cranking out punk metal. Check out the title cut or numbers like "I Can't Die and "Death Ripper" where Speedwolf just sit back and let it all hang out there. Sure Motorhead had the same thing going for them 20+ years ago and admittedly some of the material washes into the next. And yet one can't help but smile at that album art and music that doesn't take itself too serious. This is "Balls To The Wall" heavy metal. Nothing more and nothing less.

Endless Chaos-Rejected Arocity

Self-Release
2014

"Abrasive, energetic and chaotic" are the three words that Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Endless Chaos choose to describe their uncompromising sound. And on their upcoming EP, "Rejected Arocity" (Which is inspired by the horror movie "Re-Animator" of all things! Sweet!), those three words are more than a little appropriate! Three other words that could be used to describe this five-piece band would have to be thrash, death and black! That's what these five fine gentlemen (Vocalist Jordan Dorge, Guitarists Mike Menza & Mike Toews, Bass Guitarist Jeff Humarang and Drummer James Burton) bring to the party! So far there doesn't seem to be any artwork for this 3-track EP (hence the band photo above), but that's neither here nor there in regards to what this Winnipeg band coughs up thanks to a tantalizing blend of (influences) Kreator, Testament, Sepultura, Dissection, Carnage, Skeletonwitch and Black Sabbath! Mixed and mastered by Ryan Forsyth Recorded at Grimfrykt Media Productions, which gives this one a pure joy of an underground vibe, this EP (the band's debut release!) also stretches the boundaries of death and thrash by  incorporating other (subtle) influences along the lines of Impaled, Death, Slayer, Havok, Dark Angel, Carcass and Dismembered! Having (so far) shared the stage with not only one of their influences (Skeletonwitch), but bands such as Wretched, 3 Inches of Blood, Aborted and Kataklysm, Endless Chaos has seemingly come a long way in a very short time! Fans of aggressive thrash/death would due well to check out this EP. For now you can hear two of three tracks from "Rejected Arocity" at the bandcamp like below.


http://endlesschaos1.bandcamp.com/music