Ελληνικά
Thrust – Fist Held High & Reincarnation (unreleased album) – Ultimate 35th Band Anniversary Collection
Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal Country: United States of America Label: Metal Blade Year: 2015
Thrust were among the aces of the the Metal Blade’s roster in the early 80’s, and obviously this fact is quite an achievement! More than that, the uncompromising metal quintet stood as a big influence for 90’s metal bands, such as Sacred Steel, October 31 and Premonition (FL, USA), all of which were (and still are) notoriously obsessed with themes related to loyalty to heavy metal music. Simply put, Thrust’s anthem “Posers Will Die” is iconic for every “the older the band, the better it is” metalhead around the globe.
The decision of Metal Blade to reissue nowadays this classic LP is no mere coincidence, since Thrust are actually back in business to celebrate their 35th anniversary! (The band will soon be on the road once again). The contents of the 2CD reissue are more than filling, with the great surprise for the listener being the inclusion of what was meant originally to be the sophomore, never before released, album of the band named “Reincarnation”! So, both discs contain a full-length each, plus various bonus tracks, forming a complete history of the band through the glorious 80’s.
The style in the “Fist Held High” album is a mix of Anvil (“Forged in Fire” era), Exciter’s metallic rush and Slayer’s evil metal (“Show No Mercy” era). The guitar duo do their duties in a “less is more” manner, being loud and raw, while the rhythm section sounds really solid; especially Price Sowers’s bass sound is huge! Last but surely not least, the vocal performance by John Bonata is rabid, bringing to one’s mind Tim Baker’s legendary performance in Cirith Ungol’s “One Foot in Hell” album. Bonata’s shrieks still sound breathtakingly haunting! Having the chance to listen again to this monster, I think I have made up my mind that my most beloved tracks are the triplet “Freedom Fighters”, “Metallic Attack” and “Heavier Than Hell”, along with the “Posers Will Die” song. In addition, Thrust’s first official release “Live EP – Rock for Poland” is included here in its entirety. In the four tracks of this live EP, John Bonata has played the drums (he was not the singer at that time); the style of the compositions is less fierce than the material that was going to constitute the debut album of the band. I believe the opening track “Iron Gates” is their best shot from the early days. The song’s couplets are a perfect example of the early US epic metal sound. Finally, the first disc closes with the well-known track “Destructer”, which was first released in the Metal Massacre Vol. IV compilation. Need I really argue further for its quality?
The “Reincarnation” album will be a surprise for the most listeners that are already familiar with the “Fist Held High”. It was recorded in 1988-9 and produced by Bob Kulick (“We Are Motörhead” anyone?). Although this work begins with a typical song for Thrust named “War”, from the second track and onwards the quintet clearly head for a more versartile musical approach. I think some tracks bear a resemblance to Twisted Sister or even Lizzy Borden. Bonata’s performance is as intense as it was in the previous album, yet the more classic metal musical approach sounds just average at times. Nonetheless, the track “God Only Knows” is a really nice song which brings to one’s mind the sentimental touches by groups like Flotsam and Jetsam and Cyclone Temple. The best composition is for sure the scorcher “Wasted”, a thrilling old school metal song clocking at three and a half minutes! Just give it a listen, and I bet during your next drunk you will be trying to remember its catchy as hell chorus!
The reissue closes with a demo originally written before Thrust’s first album; the sound is not bad, and most of the songs have not been included anywhere else. The song I love most is called “Back on the Street”. Don’t hesitate not even for a second to obtain this satisfying reissue; very high quality is ensured!
CD1: 5/6 CD2: 4,5/6
