SolanumAs I’ve stated before I like split releases a lot and this one is damn decent with two bands from Canada demonstrating their flair for punishing thrash metal and crossover music that is equal to most underground releases being put out at the moment. Starting with Solanum, this band sees their offering as a debut of four songs that capture the essence of crossover thrash that became popular in the mid 80s with bands like DRI, Excel, Beowulf and anyone else you like from this era. Opening their salvo of tunes is “Friendly Civil Servant” and a homage to the thrash build up occurs with the pace being slowish but possessing that energy of what is to be come when the riff break comes in the form of a bass run and increase in tempo scuttling the song into overdrive with chaotic but capable drumming. Vocally this is similar to Kurt Brecht (D.R.I. if you’re not sure who this is) but with a slightly gruffer tone. Musically this skirts the fringes of a few bands but centres purely within the 80s crossover bands like the aforementioned D.R.I. but without rehashing riffs and leads. The bounce of crossover is what appealed to the moshers of the time, the song has that invigorating spring that made mosh pits the fun they were and still are to some extent when done properly. Slightly longer than expected in length the songs probably could do with about a quarter being shaved off their duration to intensify them and maintain that atmosphere of urgency and power just like the next tune “Welcome To Our Homemade Hell” with its melodic thrash hook right before the scorching breaking riff and increase in speed that will have pits in utter carnage. “Manipulated” has a frenetic start and similar to the hardcore bands of the time like Attitude Adjustment, after their demo and full length debut era, or even the Crumbsuckers from their sophomore with a hardcore twist being added through the bass work. The massive increase in pace, borderline blasted, leaves “Lunatic Tradition” to end their foursome of ferocious thrash crossover songs in fine fettle.

Epi-Demic is a more established band with a full length out already as their brand of music is similar with a crossover tone being obvious from the moment “Time Is Running Short” starts up, though the production for their songs is a little weak even if the speed is not as the opening tune demonstrates after its steady opening pace. The pace is cranked up to blasted territory similar to the likes of Coke Bust but with longer songs, and more mosh bits. Riffing wise there are similarities to Municipal Waste especially vocally as their four songs continue with “Famine” and again a slow start lures the listener in before intensifying the song with a grating guitar sound which I really like as it listens like an old demo, which I class as a good thing. “Nuclear Dream” is thrash based with its treble infested riffing initially using your ears as a chopping board to good effect, right before the demented hyper speed which unfortunately does make these parts a little more difficult to palate as the production can’t handle the individual parts to show clarity in the playing. Closing Epi-Demic’s half of the split is “Stewing In Misery” which is again backed up by a thrashy hook hinting firmly at their 80s stance until the speed hits the nitrous gas button and hurtles the tune into sonic oblivion during the chorus. The riff change is hardcore based which is likely to turn thrashers away but in reality many thrash acts in the 80s scoured the hardcore scene back then for extra edge and Slayer would be the first to admit to it as a reference point to back my claim.

A couple of bands that are likely to disappear from everyone’s radar in thrash and crossover and even if you prefer your thrash with a polished production (which you shouldn’t really) then you should still give this nasty split a listen.

(7/10 Martin Harris)

https://www.facebook.com/solanum.crossover

https://www.facebook.com/theplaguebegins13

http://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/passages-to-lunacy-split