Piranha
Big Fucking Teeth

And after the 1986 Exodus demo, it's impossible not to mention the legendary Piranha, the (unstable) lineup with which Paul Baloff roamed the stages of California between the late Eighties and early Nineties.

The Piranha, let's say it right away, didn't go anywhere. In fact, they could have gone far, despite thrash already being on the decline at that time. Perhaps, with the right precautions, they could have been a noteworthy name of the second wave of American thrash, alongside bands like Forbidden or Nuclear Assault. Yet, for countless reasons, among them, evidently, Baloff's now proverbial "unreliability," the group, after years of service, found themselves with an enviable repertoire of only four songs, two demos, and then nothing. Tom Hunting, also on the run from Exodus in the early Nineties, would have passed through these realms, and it was he who said that yes, the material for a third demo was there; the music had even been recorded, but unfortunately, Good Ol' Paul never showed up in the studio, and the work was never completed. So, on one hand, Piranha demonstrated how Paul Baloff, evidently, was completely incapable of completing anything without a nanny, that is, Gary Holt and Kirk Hammett. It's interesting to understand how one of the most charismatic figures of the thrash metal scene of those years moved after the Exodus train had long since passed. For those wondering, yes, Baloff didn't last even with the Piranha, reaching the paradoxical situation of being kicked out of his own band. Incorrigible.

Immediately after the (first) breakup, Baloff would make lightning appearances in other rather well-known bands of the era's scene, namely Hirax and Heathen, and also in these cases, it would never go beyond the demo or a handful of concerts. One of the historical voices of the genre who had serious difficulties finding a band where he could last more than a few weeks, incredible. Since he couldn't find refuge elsewhere, the most logical thing could only be to dust off the old Piranha label, naturally with the usual whirl of musicians, until the final breakup in 1993, just in time for a reconciliation with the former companions from Exodus.

Of the two recorded demos, this is the first and even saw the participation of James Hetfield as producer, a clear sign that at the time, the group still had solid contacts to rely on. Despite only two tracks present, the five-man effort is convincing, thanks to decently structured tracks, good solos, and Baloff's charisma to lead the whole thing. If "Nursery Rhymes" is, of the lot, the track that most reconnects to Baloff's musical past, with the excellent "Alone We'll Survive," we find ourselves listening to a more technical thrash, with tempo changes and a more interesting structure, a clear indication that, compared to the "Bonded by Blood" days, there was growth on Baloff's part, and evidently, at least at the time of the band's creation, he must have had pretty clear ideas on the path to follow and the musicians to accompany him. The demo, despite a somewhat erratic production, turns out to be a valuable product, a small distillation of the best thrash that California could offer at the time. It's a pity how things turned out; a band like this could have had many opportunities ahead. The few videos on YouTube convey the idea of a solid and cohesive lineup. Frankly, Baloff's seems to have been a wasted talent, with him too lost among excesses and continuous lineup changes, with a series of simply incomprehensible artistic choices proving it. Perhaps good management and a good producer were needed, but they ultimately never appeared. It would have been interesting to listen to a band like this on a more articulate work, but unfortunately, one has to settle for the little material available.