Fueled by Fire - Spread the Fire
Goddammit, another retro thrash record. How many of these things do I have to review before the trend goes away? OK, no one is forcing me to listen to these records. But, admittedly, I'm a fan of the sound, and there's a certain fun in seeking out variations on a theme. If metal record collections contained only innovators, we'd each have, like, 10 albums.Thrash Is BackMassive Execution
However, Fueled by Fire dispel my biases against their choice of genre. Sure, there's not an original note here, but at least this Norwalk, CA band picks the right ones to crib. Maybe they're stealing Sacred Reich vocal patterns, Exodus lyrics, and any number of German/Bay Area riffing styles; but for a stylistic exercise, Spread the Fire (Metal Blade, 2007) is quite enjoyable. The performances are energetic, the leads are authentically out-of-tune, and the band isn't afraid to toss in more melodic, traditional metal riffs. I especially dig the charming kick drum overplaying for extra galloping goodness.
About a year after this retro thrash fad started, I'm still scratching my head over it. Where did all these bands come from, with their leather jackets, back patches, and white hi-tops? Why is there suddenly a cottage industry in 2007 for second-tier thrash (ironically, first-tier thrash bands, except for Slayer, achieved such status by transcending the genre's conventions)? It seems artistically bankrupt to ape the past so slavishly. Yet records like this are great fun, and comforting in a way. If Exodus and Slayer don't sound like they did back in '85, maybe it's OK for others to pick up that torch.
Spread the Fire is available from Metal Blade and The End.
Labels: clee, thrash metal, usa
7 Comments:
Hmmm...I'm finding that the best band of this bunch is Warbringer, just edging out Merciless Death. A lot of these bands are from the L.A. area.
Yeah, I'm finding that, too. Did some club call a meeting and decide that it was going to bring thrash back? Is this really a campaign sponsored by white hi-top manufacturers? I'm still suspicious of the whole thing...
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/lotfp/330770-second-wave-retro-thrash.html
others are having similar questions.
I echo your sentiment about lack of originality, and I also don't think it a bad thing, mostly irrelevant by large. And a lot of metal is only relevant to metalheads anyway.
As to why it happens, probably because the outfits are cool. Or because 'Metal' by large has been swimming in ambiguity for far too long I guess. Some people creave straightforwardness. METAL FOR LIFE, BONDED BY BLOOD, so on.
Not 'extreme music borrowing from contemporary classical and ambient'. Thrash metal is the new True Metal. I sympathise to a degree, but my solution is not playing retro thrash.
I can't believe they have a song called "Thrash is Back", ha, ha. That's cheesy. I do like this, though, and will actually probably pick this up because thrash has always been my favorite genre ever, so I too can appreciate this stuff even in its complete lack of creativity. It feels a little weird when bands go so far as to dress the way the bands did 20+ years ago - almost "cartoonish" in some way - but as long as the riffs and the songwriting tap into that old school thrash vein, I give it the seal of approval, heh.
THey can crank out thrash forever, as far as I'm concerned. I think the reason this style was resurrected is because the people who are maniacal enthusiasts for the genre NEED it. Like me.
The vocal delivery on Thrash is Back reminded me, in parts, of the first Death Angel record. But then the pace shifted to something more comfortable and less frantic/fun.
Who would have thought we'd live to see the day of retro thrash. But it's hard for me not to smile and say "wait, what other bands are out there?"
Post a Comment
<< Home