Havok
Time Is Up

The New Wave Of Thrash Metal (NWOTM) is that movement formed by a cluster of bands that have emerged in recent years with the aim of playing Thrash Metal influenced by those groups that made history in the 80s. In this melting pot of bands, there are some that favor a style very similar to that of the historical formations of the 80s, some groups to the point of resembling cover bands, while others, without losing sight of the traditional Thrash Metal standards, play with more personality, adding their own solutions.

Havok belongs precisely to this latter category. Formed in Denver, Colorado, after many lineup changes, a Demo (Thrash Can) from 2004, a single (Murder By Metal) from 2006, and an EP (Pwn'em All) dated 2007, the Americans in 2009 gave birth to Burn, a very good Thrash/Technical Thrash Metal album, characterized by a near-masterful use of the double bass drum by drummer Pete Webber, by speed, and by engaging riffs; on Burn Havok plays Thrash influenced by Testament, Exodus, Heathen, Testament, and to a lesser extent Forbidden, Slayer, and Metalllica.

After writing this necessary premise, let's take a look at this second studio album, dated 2011, named Time Is Up. The cover, typically Thrash (like Burn's), is a drawing of a skeleton that, holding a hammer in its left hand, is ready to destroy an hourglass, held in its right hand. All in a dark environment, with images of other skeletons behind the one in the foreground and lightning outside the window of the room. Everything seems to promise well.

And expectations will not be disappointed at all. Because Havok's Thrash (also here influenced by the same Thrash groups that inspired Burn) is proof that in 2011, one can still create original and unique Thrash Metal riffs. That's exactly what these young Americans do, proof that Thrash Metal is not dead. It NEVER was and NEVER will be.

Like the previous Burn, here too, in Time Is Up, the drums are played masterfully: there are accelerations, time changes, speed, mosh, and a double bass drum firing at full throttle. Excellent bass work, supporting a technically perfect rhythmic section, and the two guitars, now fast and quick, now super fast, now slower, now engaging in fiery solos, food for the teeth of us Thrashers who make Metal our life, just like the vocals, hysterical and angry for most of the album, calmer, more thoughtful, (so to speak) in some small parts.

And so we find episodes of pure anger (Out Of My Way, Covering Fire, No Amnesty, Prepare For Attack, Fatal Intervention, Time Is Up), to more technical and complex episodes (again Time Is Up, D.O.A., The Cleric, Scumbag In Disguise) to more Mosh episodes (Killing Tendencies), aimed at exciting fans and making them Mosh and Headbang to the Death! On the Web, there are also two Slayer covers, the timeless Postmortem and Raining Blood, taken from the immortal "Reign In Blood".

Thrash fans, I recommend this Time Is Up with all my heart, it's stunning and is proof that Thrash Is Not Dead and Thrash Will NEVER DIE!

Rating: 85

Cheers and THRASH 'TILL DEATH (AND AFTER DEATH, TOO).

Thrashdefender

Tracklist

01 Prepare for Attack (03:57)
02 Fatal Intervention (04:28)
03 No Amnesty (03:30)
04 D.O.A. (03:43)
05 Covering Fire (04:15)
06 Killing Tendencies (05:32)
07 Scumbag in Disguise (04:34)
08 The Cleric (04:46)
09 Out of My Way (03:20)
10 Time Is Up (04:02)

Lineup

David Sanchez - vocals, guitar

Pete Webber - drums

Jesse De Los Santos - bass

Reece Scruggs - guitar