HardReviews 4
by Martin Popoff
ONSLAUGHT
Killing Peace (Candlelight)Onslaught arrived just a bit too late on the scene, the mid'80s already having been thrashed properly by the Big Four, each a band with loads of personality, and then the chops (and recording budgets) to make that personality shine. So there was the UK's Onslaught, creating serviceable thrash, most noted for their late in career vocalist, Steve Grimmett, previously of Grim Reaper, and their signing to major label London. Steve's not here, but belter on The Force, Sy Keller, is back, executing an awesome job, injecting just enough singing into his grinding game (there's a bit of Blitz to the guy, maybe even Ronny Munroe from Metal Church, even Ripper), perfect for the band's Puppets/Exodus thrash anthems. Lyrically, there's more than the expected amount of anti-religious railing and wailing, but that fits well with Onslaught's lean into various Slayer moves. Production's rockin' and so are the riffs, both providing, all told, a hard, urban New York thrashiness to the thing, like old Nuclear Assault, but then again, perhaps striking at the mathematical average of what Exodus is about - back then, and for the reformation.
Rating 7.5MOONLIGHT COMEDY
Dorothy (Lion Music)Album #2 for this calculus-technical Italian prog metal band, and despite that stupid and badly acted intro (she's back for track #4), I found myself sufficiently and surprisingly drawn in to the band's novel arrangements, their futuristic keyboard spice rackings, crazy high hat and cymbal work (some of it electronic) and their machine gun-fast riffing. For me to care at all about this genre is rare, but Moonlight Comedy do a good job of being unbelievably fussy yet still heavy, due to their doomy and humourless riffs coupled with a claustrophobic and dry guitar sound. So yeah, there's lots to like here (even the Italian accents - must be World Cup soccer that's warmed me on the idea), and so much amazing work has gone into the thing, you find yourself into the journey, awaiting what quirky soundscape they're coming up with next, 'Metamorfosi' being a good example of like, 12 new ideas previously untouched upon, prompting a thirst for more.
Rating 7.5
