Thrashist Regime, who have quite possibly got the most memorable name in the whole of the modern thrash scene, play a very catchy brand of thrash metal, with songs which, like their name, are a good deal more memorable than the thrash-revival average. The hair-raising machinegun tempo is impressive, with very competent and memorable vocals and lyrics slotted neatly into the rhythm, which go a long way to giving the songs a ton of oomph and fist-pumping energy. The band has a sound reminiscent of oldschool Bay-Area and New York thrash but with slightly more melodic leanings, the occasional catchy chorus or atmospheric section thrown in quite effectively. The playing overall, for that matter, is tight and the production carries it along quite well - perhaps a little clean and polished for that "retro" feel which some bands go for, but definitely letting the music reach it's potential and showcasing everything in the mix. The musicianship is technically-able, regardless of tempo, with songs like "Hotel Blast Terror", introduced live as "about a pub which blew-up" showcasing the bands ability to play blisteringly intense and fast material, whilst still managing to throw in some, frankly slightly brain-melting solos.
The album covers an enjoyably disparate range of lyrical themes, with songs about films, gas explosions, and a closing trilogy of songs vaguely about Spiderman , among other things. How many bands do you know who've done that? Much like the lyrics, the music holds an equal diversity, with plenty of the aforementioned blistering speed, but also plenty of atmosphere, with the traditional "ballady bits" which thrash has always been partial to, and also a generous helping of angry mid-tempo swaggering, which works really well in a lot of the songs in which it is placed, adding a boost of attitude and energy and demonstrating that the bits which make you bang your head aren't neccessarily the same as the bits which are fastest. There doesn't really seem to be a great deal of filler material throughout the album either, and while debuts seem usually to be the albums with the least filler, this album seems to carry this characteristic more than some - the songs really don't mess around, and I really got the impression that time and effort has been put into making them, which is something which can really add to the listening experience.
I couldn't find a video of any of the band's studio material, but never mind - They've got a few songs up on their Facebook page, which I've linked to below, as always. Anyways, to conclude, one of my tenets when it comes to reviewing music is that theres nothing wrong with playing a tried and tested formula, so long at you play it well. Thrashist Regime play a tried and tested formula. They play it well.
I'm giving this an 8/10.
Links:
Thrashist Regime on Facebook
Thrashist Regime on Metal Archives
