Mysto Dysto
The Rules Have Been Disturbed

We are in the Netherlands in 1983, where four boys from Emmen, probably attracted by the name of one of the worst distortion pedals for guitar (the Mysto Dysto by Loco Box) available on the market, founded their band. These four boys (Peter Meijering on vocals, Luit De Jong who probably alternated between guitar and bass with Marcel Verdurmen, and Claus Van Der Berg on drums) would later change their name, becoming one of the coolest Old School Thrash bands of the good old days: Mandator. It's no coincidence that two tracks from the album I'm about to review will be present on Mandator's first album, "Initial Velocity." After producing a first demo in 1984, they returned two years later in the blessed year 1986 with their first and last full-length: "The Rules Have Been Disturbed."

The album, released in the full Thrash era, doesn't present any groundbreaking innovations; it is indeed good old-fashioned Speed/Thrash played at considerable speed with an eye for epic motifs and choruses to shout at the top of one's lungs. While originality is certainly not a virtue of this work, the same cannot be said about the enthusiasm and energy that this piece imparts, managing to excite in certain tracks thanks to really catchy and compelling riffs with the usual lightning-fast guitar solos (as tradition dictates) supported by a rhythm guitar that sometimes goes into stop 'n' go.

 Our friends also have a few surprises in store; note, for instance, in the central part of the opener "The Power of The Law", a track with one of the best opening riffs on the album, Meijering's growl that is truly surprising given the context in which it is found. The second track, "Confused", starts with a sweet melody with the bass followed a few moments later by the guitar and singer. As the minutes pass, the guitars get heavier, alternating between slow and really fast parts, all in a truly epic atmosphere. The following track, "Tarantula", is a simple and straightforward Speed/Thrash where the title is repeated over and over in the chorus. More or less on the same wavelength are "Attila The Destructor," "Indenter" and "One Night Stand." Above average is the fifth track, "Full Speed To Hell", which lives up to its name as a truly exciting track despite the long duration, thanks to tempo changes and Peter's vocal parts. Finally, the album concludes with "Visit Of The Vikings," supported by a decent mid-tempo.

In short, it is certainly not an album to have at all costs unless you are truly passionate about the genre. Nevertheless, it remains a highly enjoyable work from those beloved eighties, a piece of which these guys have carved out for themselves thanks to the future insights of Mandator. 3.5 rounded up for likability.


THRILLING.