Cryptic Slaughter
Convicted

THE REVIEW

A record like this would not even be produced today, no one would buy it let alone want to listen to it. The music is noisy (but truly noisy), played at an impressive speed, sung by a kid who seems like he's about to vomit his vocal cords at any moment, the recording is not professional, deafening off-scale solos, simple and basic lyrics; average track length: a minute and a half.

Having been released in 1986, "Convicted" is a gem of an album for both Hardcore enthusiasts and Extreme Metal fanatics. From the initial description, I think I've been quite clear; personally, I love this album, both for the furious atmosphere that it manages to express and for the simple way of playing combined with so much aggression. Even from the cover image, it's clear what message Cryptic Slaughter wanted to convey, after all, not so different from the rest of the bands in the Californian scene at that time.

Listening to it today fills the soul with nostalgia, thinking about how kids once could ride the wave of success just with their grit, naturally with an audience that supported them, while today there are very few adolescent bands that manage to get the right space for their music, without compromise. Among the memorable tracks, one can find "M.A.D." or the title track "Convicted".

The record is a blast, perfect for smashing your bones in any occasion, I recommend it to all lovers of extreme music.