Genre: Crossover / Thrash / Punk / Hardcore
Country: U.S.A.
Label:Moshover Records
Year: 1992, 2016
There was a time, not too distant from the present times, when there was no internet or it was in its infancy with slow speeds, only a few pages concerning music, limited material uploaded for you to download or listen. Youtube and Bandcamp sounded like extraterrestrial technology… Nothing. The access to information was difficult and certainly was aimed for the very few. Now things have changed radically. However, filtering these stimuli and data we obtain as news or information rarely becomes actual knowledge. It rarely succeeds in becoming something more tan junk food instead of real food for thought in the already fed up mind of most of us. At that time, if you remember, the ‘older ones’ has in their collections some records known as “holy grails”, who oftenly were making some money by coping the material into cassettes you sent them, along with a letter where you included the pre-agreed amount of money. The 3 records i remember to have reached the point of being almost legendary to have (or at least some of them) were Ample Destruction of Jag Panzer and Death or Glory and Stronger Than Evil of Heavy Load. These 3 in the classic metal field. Which suffered like no other sub-genre in the 90’s.
Those familiar with more urban sounds and more American tastes (the American power / heavy genre appeals mostly to the European audience), that were often associated with “sports” such as the BMX or skate had other “affections”, except hardcore and the obvious bands (Suicidal Tendencies, Anthrax, Megadeth, R.A.T.M.). The ultimate album, the holy grail of crossover / hardcore, the record that complements the holy trinity of the genre in full correspondence with this classic metal after Widespread Bloodshed / Love Runs Red of No Mercy and Lost My Head … But I’m Back on the Right Track of Beowulf, is the Experiment in Fear of Evol. It was released by the band itself in 1992 and essentially we’re talking about a celebratory / anniversary release 25 years after its first press. It is not the first time that an attempt was made to widely (re)released the album, since in 2001 it was printed in CD in an initiative of bassist of Evol Doug Mug Swanson (who was a member of Beowülf between 1994 and 2000) and a friend of his, Terry Flannery, producer. The songs are full of energy with a punk / hardcore mentality and merciless headbanging thrash while the crossover cuts, the gang vocals and the funky bass are also dynamically present. Jason Brown is on vocal duties (along with his brother Jimmie Brown on drums formed Cycotic Youth from 1984 to 1988). He spits the lyrics with great ease, changing mood whenever he feels like it, performing as the perfect frontman mixing Hardcore and Thrash Metal reminding you at times of Cyco Myko and John Conelly.
Of course, the fans of the aforementioned bands but also of the crossover bands D.R.I. and (especially) Nuclear Assault have already ran to place an order. Sharp guitars with powerful ideas, some scratching and breakdowns could have a few more Slayer-ish solos, like the one in “One Word of Truth”, just to blow our minds in the air. However it is generally at a very high level without being full of originality but on the other hand the tracks are so addictive that need no further discussion. All of the 8 pieces are excellent (honestly I cannot pick out just one). The ¾ of the album had been written during 1988-1989 and recorded for the respective demo of ’88 and ’89. Note that the white cover of the reissue is much more beautiful than the original one, with contrasting colors as a negative image. Anyway that’s a personal preference… All you guys that love No Mercy, Suicidal Tendencies, Excel, Beowülf, Uncle Slam and Cycotic Youth and are deep into this sound just crank the volume up and press the play button…
5/6