Minotaur-God May Show You Mercy..We Will Not
(I Hate Records, 2009)

I'll be quick to admit that I am sucker for classic thrash bands reforming. Generally it is the smaller, more underground bands that release better albums though and this is no exception. Minotaur are about as cult as it gets as far as thrash is concerned but the reformed German thrashers have written one hell of an album here. Think Kreator and Venom butting heads and you'd have a good idea of what to expect from this album.

What really stands out about the album is the fact that it really doesn't sound modern in anyway. The band doesn't bring in any new influences and is pure old school thrash through and through. The riffs have an energetic and almost punky feel at times particularly during the moments that make you think of Venom. The song Full Speed Ahead is a perfect example of Minotaur at their best. The song is built on speed and catchy thrash riffs and then you have the simplistic yet incredibly effective chorus that just escalates the song to a different level. Also the band has opted to go with a very analog sounding recording. It has a raw and rough feel at times but due to this it actually sounds like a band. This isn't overproduced to the point of losing its humanity, and thrash needs that raw edge to be effective in my opinion.

If you are a thrash fan, particular of the older style that was a bit rough around the edges but had tons of energy and personality, this is an album you need to check out. If you have never heard of Minotaur before, now is the perfect time to learn the name and see just how damn good this band is.

Lethal Aggression-Ad Nauseum
(HGPD Productions, 2008)

I have to admit that I am not familiar with Lethal Aggression at all. So while I cannot really say how this compares to the earlier releases from the band I can however say that the band is pretty damned good in their reformed state. The album somewhat lacks focus at times but when the band is on, they are bulldozing in their delivery.

Crossover, thrash and even grindcore come together in the bands sound and the band handles each quite well. Like most bands in this genre they are at their best when playing at blazing speeds. Corporoganda for instance is almost entirely blazing aside from the very SOD mid-tempo section complete with ranting. There is even a bit of Nuclear Assault styled riffs here from time to time as well. Basically the band doesn't do anything new but they are quite good at what they do. They manage to keep things old school but modern sounding at times as well.

While I can't say my mind has been thoroughly blown away by this comeback album, I definitely enjoy it. The band is fast and furious with rapid fire guitar leads and memorable riffing. Flip the brim of your hat up and dust off your skateboard, and enjoy this album. Circle pits are of course mandatory as well.

Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky-The Grand Partition, and the Abrogation of Idolatry
(Nuclear Blast Records, 2009)

I think I was three songs into this album before I finished reading the band name and album name. Thankfully the band doesn't need the unique moniker to help them stand out as the music itself is devastating. The best way to describe what the band plays would be death metal meets grindcore meets deathcore. There are similarities between say Suicide Silence and All Shall Perish but SWWAATS is easily one of the best bands playing this style right now hands down. Few albums of this nature are this engaging and thoroughly pummeling.

The album works quite well because the extremity is counterpointed with a memorable edge. The band is fast, vicious and incredibly heavy but the riffs just stick in your head like shrapnel and leave the same bloody mess. The band never goes overboard with technicality and it really makes a big difference. Many similar bands try to outstretch their reach and it becomes a convoluted mess. SWWAATS keeps things streamlined and while it is far from being simplistic it never loses focus. What really helps the album stay focused is the utterly bulldozing vocal approach. The vocals are deep and powerful but still very audible. Thankfully so because the lyrics are quite amazing as well. Misanthropic and slightly political would describe the lyrical approach and the words are spat out with more than enough venom to be convincing. This is actually one of the first times in a very long time that I read through all of the lyrics for an album while listening.

From start to finish, this album is pretty much perfect. The production is loud and full, the performance is stellar and the songwriting brings this style to new heights. If you were under the impression that all modern bands sounded the same or had nothing to offer extreme metal, this is a young band that definitely proves otherwise.