R E V I E W S
Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation - 2005 - Earache Records
Track Listing
1. Intro / Death Ripper 2. Unleash The Bastards 3. The Thing 4. Blood Drive 5. Accelerated Vision 6. Guilty Of Being Tight 7. Thrashin’ Of The Christ 8. Hazardous Mutation 9. Nailed Casket 10. Abusement Park 11. Black Ice 12. Mind Eraser 13. Terror Shark 14. Set To Destruct 15. Bang Over
It has been a long time since I've heard a new band go down this route. Think of a retro sound dedicated to the likes of "Among The Living" and "Spreading The Disease" Anthrax crossed with the best punk philosophy of DRI. That is really what this debut is made from, cut from that warped, fast-as-lightning speed metal attack that borders on the insane fury found with German thrashers. "Hazardous Mutation" is a captivating, perfectly timed return to the old school classic metal glory.
Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Municipal Waste are right on target, expanding on punk/hardcore rhythms and crossing into the rip-tide of metal thrashing mad. The group conjures up those ultra fast punk riffs, put on the quick track along with singer Tony Foresta's energetic and aggressive "spoken word" slur. He mixes it up nicely, really taking the music into the way of new school thoughts ala Shadow's Fall. But where modern bands like that fall flat, Municipal Waste turns up the heat, tuning down and playing through quick romps. With sixteen cuts involved here the average song is about two minutes, a long standing tradition of hardcore and punk theory.
Overall the majority of the material flows consistently with solid riffs that move at a fast gallop, or simply combine on wicked grooves that ride the metro through cuts that are beaming with perverse and sadistic humor. With songs like "Bang Over", "Guilty Of Being Tight", and "The Thrashin' Of The Christ" one can't help but giggle and cackle. But while the band are busy running songwriting through the Gwar processor, other cuts bring back the fire of early acts like Anvil. "Mind Eraser", "Death Ripper", and "Terror Shark" are all out war, fast and furious leather beatings that deliver the goods in "whiplash" style.
Overall this whole record is just absolutely a rampage, an up-tempo riff stomper that will please ALL fans of Anthrax, DRI, Anvil, and those in between bands that nobody ever gives props too. Congrats on Earache for taking a chance on this young group. If any of their future albums continue with this much tradition and professionalism, Municipal Waste could find themselves headbanging on the stoop of superstardom.
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