Havok - Time is up (2011)

My introduction to Denver, Colorado based band, Havok, came in early July when they were on the opening slot for Forbidden. While the guys in the re-formed Forbidden and even the other two bands that played were fairly good that evening, it was Havok that absolutely smoked all of us.

Formed back in 2004, Havok spent their first couple of years releasing demos, EPs and singles before unleashing, 'Burn' on the world in 2009 and earlier this year their sophomore effort, 'Time is up' arrived via Candlelight Records.

Musically Havok delivers full throttle hair whipping 80's influenced thrash metal in a style comparable to Destruction and Exodus as well quite a bit of similarities exist between other new school thrash bands, such as; Bonded by Blood, Mantic Ritual and Warbringer.

It's obvious right from the first notes that, David, Jesse, Reece and Pete mean business, because I can say without much hesitation that this is surely one the best new school thrash albums released so far. Each song is filled with tons of energy and excitement from start to finish, killer infectious riffs and an absolute bad assery assault of superb solos. The vocals I'll again make a comparison to Destruction since David shares a angry snarly style similar to Schmier while plenty of backing gang vocals also make appearances on each song (the only way to thrash).

Sure, as always there's nothing new here, but I grew up with thrash in the early 90's and I guess no matter what I'll never get sick of those old records and I always welcome new ones too. Music like this is meant to charge you up, get that long hair flying and just make you have fun and feel good and that's absolutely what Havok does on this one. Songs like, 'Prepare for Attack' or 'D.O.A.' could have been wrote twenty five years ago and if it wasn't for the modern production they probably could be confused for something that old.

What I'm trying to say is that thrash then and now is timeless and music like this has been a blast for the first thirty years of my life and assuming I don't drink myself stupid one day I'll hopefully be jammin' to this stuff for another thirty years to come.

As Destruction says, 'Thrash 'till Death!'