They’re the Speed Metal Punx!
MUNICIPAL WASTE / TOXIC HOLOCAUST – Toxic Waste split LP
This is a release that was bound to happen, both bands are leaders in the current “retro-thrash-crossover” scene and both have quite a rabid following. As I write this I am feeling a bit retro myself as I watch the Six Million Dollar Man in DVD. But…I take some of this back. At this point it is almost unfair to refer to either of these bands as “retro”. Maybe when they kicked off they were trying to bring something back but at this point the crossover thrash-core is alive and well and moving forward.
I have been critical of both bands and even though I was an early fan of MUNICIPAL WASTE and TOXIC HOLOCAUST I got burned out on them after a few releases and can say I don’t have the full catalog of either band. I am missing one album and probably some other splits by from each of their back catalogs. But with the latest full lengths by these bands I was a born again fan. ‘The Fatal Feast’ and ‘Conjure and Command’ are incredibly strong albums and up there with the best that either band has ever released. The ‘Toxic Waste’ split picks up right there with what both bands were doing on those last releases. I wouldn’t be surprised if these songs were recorded in the sessions for those two albums.
MUNCIPAL WASTE offer up two songs of their patented party-pizza thrash. ‘Trapped in the Sites’ and ‘Mourning Sex’ both capture the bands wit and thrashability and are almost flawless in their antemic assault.
TOXIC HOLOCAUST explodes with a headbanging ripper called ‘We Bring ‘Em Hell’ that exhibits their pseudo Satanic VENOM influence to a ‘t”. The lyrics are evil, offensive and…silly. ‘Altar-red States’ has a serious moshing groove that just begs you to put your high-topped Vans into action!
This is a great record by two bands that just know how to have fun. Tank Crimes has done an amazing job with the album. It comes on colored vinyl and the art work is right-fucking-on! I picked mine up at the last MW show in town, but I’ve seen available all over the place. The Angelo’s in Wheatridge had two copies of the vinyl still a few days ago. And if you are a cheap bastard you can just go to the Tank Crimes site and download it for free!
Up the Speed Metal Punx!
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