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Rating: The neo-thrash wave that has been filling music store shelves for a few years now certainly has among its standard-bearers and shining stars the American band Municipal Waste, one of the first bands of this new genre guided by the publishing house Earache Records (known primarily for more extreme bands like Napalm Death, Anal Cunt, Carcass, etc.).
What is neo-thrash metal? First thing to say: it has nothing to do with Trivium or Bullet For My Valentine, the thrash revival has nothing to do with certain polished names that only partially bring back the old thrash sound by integrating it with much more modern elements like emocore to hit the sales charts.
The thrash revival is a collection of relatively young groups that bring back the sounds that belonged to the early Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, the very first Megadeth, Nuclear Assault, Exodus, D.R.I., Stormtroopers of Death, etc. In short, you get it, right? Thrash metal heavily influenced by hardcore, the punk-style drive of the songs, and the raw and crude attitude.
Municipal Waste have three albums to their credit, and their best product (but all three are great, believe me) is certainly the latest one "The Art of Partying," dated 2007.
An album primarily for Bay Area nostalgia lovers but also for young kids who want to discover from a young band (the first album "Wast'em All" is from 2003) a genre thought to be dead and buried and kept only by the big names of the time (Slayer above all).
Little more than 35 minutes of pure thrash will delight the ears of those who have yet to approach this product, thanks to little gems like the title track with its terribly catchy chorus and the pace of tracks like "Headbanger Face Rip." The rhythms are always fast, and the adrenaline is abundant, but Waste also know when to apply the brakes, like in the beautiful introduction (which reappears before the end) of "The Inebriator" (which anyway then launches aggressively like all of them with drumming at times bordering on grind).
Hardcore influence present in pieces like "Chemically Altered" and in "Open Your Mind", they skillfully summon the Anthrax of good times and also reference the start of "Hit The Lights" (do I also need to tell you the artist and album? naaa) in the final "Born To Party" that then turns into a beautiful thrashcore anthem.
In short, without going on too long, all the tracks are little sticks of dynamite that explode and flow fast and very pleasantly throughout the entire album's duration.
"The Art Of Partying" is definitely worth the purchase, and I personally consider Municipal Waste one of the craziest, most brilliant, and fundamental bands in the current metal scene.
As they say, “there's no need to invent something new to do something beautiful.”
Rating: 8.5/10
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Headbanger Face Rip (01:53)
He's going to the concert
He's full of thrashing rage
He's going to rip his face off and throw it at the stage!
Headbanger Face Rip
She's putting on her makeup
She's teasing out her hair
She's going to rip her face off and throw it down the stairs!
It doesn't really matter who you came to see to play
All we want to see you do is rip your face away
Thumbs into your eyeballs, stick your fingers in
Rake your hand across your face and pull apart your skin
Blood and hair swirl everywhere
Your face is gone but you don't care
Receiving thrills with every tear
Destroy it as fast as you can
Now is your time to take a stand
Just rip your face off to the band
Headbanger Face Rip
A sacrifice for metal, just throw it at the stage
Just raise your drinks
And slice your face off while the music plays
Headbanger Face Rip
Feel the rage control you; they'll never stop the shred
Just rip apart that ugly mug and bang it till your dead!
Blood and hair swirl everywhere
Your face is gone but you don't care
Receiving thrills with every tear
Destroy it as fast as you can
Now is your time to take a stand
Just rip your face off to the band
Feel the skin under your nails
Through the air your face will sail
It absolutely never fails
Now the crowds a bloody mess
Their slamming harder than the rest
The band stomps all over their flesh
Headbanger Face Rip
Destroy it as fast as you can
Now is your time to take a stand
Just rip your face off to the band
Face Rip!
15 Born to Party (04:20)
Some say we drink too much
They say we're just not cool
Well I fucking like to party
It's what I was born to do!
Blazing through your last case
Smoking your weed
Smashing you face!
Hey man this party sucks
They're all out of beer
How can we party down?
There's no weed here
On to the next one
We'll have a good time
Hanging with ScottyRoo
Committing tank crimes!
Onward to your next case
Smoking your weed
Smashing your face
Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up!
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