Lääz Rockit
Nothing$ $acred

Another spin, another ride. Today I want to talk to you about Laaz Rockit, a Californian quintet known for producing three consecutive notable Thrash Metal albums in the late '80s and early '90s. In truth, their musical debut dates back to 1984 with ''City's Gonna Burn'', which was based on a decent mix of typical Bay Area metal and a commercial American sound, followed the next year by ''Stranger No Danger'', more catchy but hampered by inadequate production. In 1987, they made the big leap (or had a great revelation depending on your viewpoint) with the release of ''Know Your Enemy''. Suddenly, a solid Thrash sound emerged, clearly influenced by the coastal scene, well-composed but too stereotyped. ''Annihilation Principle'' (reviewed in these pages) slightly raised the overall level, but like good Italian wine, it was after a necessary aging process that in 1991, nine years after their debut, they crafted their musical summa and extreme testimony: ''Nothing'$ $acred'.

The Power influences of the past are confined solely to the intricate solos of the guitar duo Jellum-Sargent, while the rhythm section often takes the lead in the 41-minute work: the new addition Scott Dominguez on bass, unlike most of his peers in the genre, is not relegated to the background but enjoys delivering pleasant passages; Dave Chavarri's drumming (who will later also drum for Soulfly and M.O.D.) is solid and precise. Behind the microphone is the voice of Michael Coons (for the writer, the most prominent flaw of this record): shrill, high-pitched, aggressive, as rough as you like, but unfortunately it often clashes with the robust and belligerent sound of the rest of the crew, coming across at times as annoying and out of place; no wonder ''Nobody's Child'', a melancholic semi-ballad, stands as the only instance where Coons' performance can be considered fully confident and convincing.

''Nothing'$ $acred'' offers a protean menu with diverse courses: elaborate and substantial first courses like ''In The Name Of Father And The Gun'' and ''Too Far Gone'', satisfying and spicy main courses such as ''Into The Asylum'', ''Curiosity Kills'' and ''Suicidecity'', suitable and delightful side dishes (the instrumental closing piece ''Necropolis'' and the aforementioned ''Nobody's Child''). Throughout the album, there are clear hints to pioneering bands, particularly Anthrax and Exodus (listen to the intro of ''Greed Machine'' and try to argue otherwise!), however, this doesn't detract from the desire to continue listening, thanks to their preference for relying on choruses that, albeit impactful, are overall popular and a production that, although not dazzling, is sufficiently polished.

Laaz Rockit rode the long wave of Thrash from that era presumably driven not by genuine dedication to its active evolution; indeed, perhaps motivated by other extramusical values (for many not less important) blatantly noticeable in the name of this product (might it have been a provocative move?). They remain a concrete and vivid example that, had they had the clarity and humility to recognize their flaws by, for instance, hiring an appropriate singer (after the mid-career turn), might have been able to look straight into the eyes of some of the sacred monsters of those years. 

Recommended with reservation.

P.S. For those who want to delve deeper, since 2009, the album has been reissued (following the inevitable reunion) with three appealing bonus tracks.