Fueled by Fire
Spread the Fire
Metal Blade (2007)
Let's not beat around the bush. Despite a valiant effort at bringing thrash back to the masses, Fueled by Fire just aren't the ones to do the job. It's a tall order - there'll always be the diehards (mostly in their late thirties) that will buy pretty much anything remotely thrash related. This album is for them. The albums that pay homage to the genre by breathing new life into it - those are the ones that all the hip kids get into, like (granted, on more of the old-school D.R.I. tip) Cross Examination's Hung Jury. Spread the Fire isn't a bad album per say, but for those familiar with their history, there's absolutely nothing on here that hasn't been done already by the likes of Testament and Death Angel. With that said, the album is pure unadulterated Westcoast thrash that will probably only have stamina for those unfamiliar with the bands I've just named. To get even more specific, imagine an album created by Testament before they became the skilled musicians heard on The New Order or Practice What You Preach, without Chuck Billy but with vocals being traded off by Mark Osegueda and Steve "Zetro" Souza. Evolution may … Read more
A Second from the Surface
The Streets Have Eyes
This Dark Reign (2007)
There's been a lot of words used to describe Minneapolis' A Second from the Surface: metalcore, grindcore, crustcore. All of … Read more
Living Hell
The Lost and the Damned
Revelation (2007)
Revelation Records has made quite the turn-around in the past two years. Besides mainstay Shai Hulud, the once hardcore-proud label … Read more
Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate)
When the Sea Became a Giant
Independent (2007)
The key word that comes to mind when listening to When the Sea Became a Giant is light. Everything is … Read more
