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Nasty Savage > Abstract Reality > Reviews
Nasty Savage - Abstract Reality

The Taming of the Wild “Ugly” Bards - 93%

bayern, November 30th, 2017

Back to this short piece of greatness which showed only too well that Nasty Ronnie and Co. were more than ready to accept the challenge, and embrace the more complex ways of execution; whole-heartedly. It must have been quite interesting to watch the evolution of the early American power metal heroes as most of them (Laaz Rockit, Liege Lord, Helstar, Manilla Road, Attacker, Metal Church, etc.) went through several stages each of which having something worthy to offer.

“Indulgence” was already a more accomplished and more proficiently executed work than the inspired, but charmingly naïve debut, and for many practitioners this would have been the model to follow on subsequent efforts as it seemed like a perfect vehicle for a successful career, and why not even exposure to more mainstream circles. Thrash was pretty much the order of the day in the late-80’s, and becoming more dexterous and more technical could only be beneficial during those times.

However, our favourite nasties haven’t said their final word in this department yet; and this marvellous 4-tracker here was just a rehearsal for what was to come. A dress rehearsal for sure with the title-track marching confidently onward with pounding lashing guitars, vigorous accelerations, great blazing leads, and supreme technical deviations that would make even Deathrow and Mekong Delta proud, with Nasty Ronnie commanding the virtuous proceedings with panache, changing the pitch at the right time, never sounding strained or over-the-top. “Unchained Angel” moshes with choppy, crunchy guitars, the guys leaving the memorable main motif to lead the show for a while without adding too many intricate pirouettes, keeping things neat and direct for about 3-min.

Comes “Eromantic Vertigo”, however, and the situation literally hits the top on this first-rate progressive/technical thrasher which twists and turns in more or less predictable ways with stylish technical explosions besieging the main solid mid-tempo stride; more attached, more pathos-like Ronnie behind the mike could only be an advantage as well as the lengthier lead pyrotechnics, all leading to a superb puzzling shredding climax at the end. “You Snooze, You Lose” is sustained in a similar vein only thrashing with more passion, the headbanging crescendos at the beginning gaining both intensity and technicality, the guys amazingly keeping the heightened technical patterns the whole time regardless of the high velocity background which only slips in the middle where stomping, more moderate solutions only accentuate the hyper-technical character of this no-brainer.

At that time the US technical/progressive thrash roster was still just a hypothetical eventuality the Watchtower debut remaining isolated in the distant 1985, a freaky phenomenon that was still waiting for its graceful comeuppance. Bits and pieces of the works of Have Mercy and Ulysses Siren displayed some technical prowess, but more was needed for the scene to be conflagrated and baptized in the more mind-stimulating, more serious ways. And in 1988 things started to happen, with Toxik’s “World Circus”, Realm’s “Endless war”, Blind Illusion’s “Sane Asylum”, the EP reviewed here…. things started piling up on both sides of the Atlantic in such a quick succession that by the end of the decade the technical/progressive thrash movement nearly reached its zenith.

Nasty Savage remained on the forefront of this exciting carnival although their only other contribution to it was the colossal full-length that followed a few months later, wrapping up one of the nicest packages in the history of American metal. I’ve always thought that the band were capable of more, both quality and quantity-wise, and that theirs was one of the most untimely, earliest disappearances in the annals of the genre. On the upside they never gave uncle Groove a chance to claim them, and went out unscathed, leaving a nearly perfect discography behind. Even the supposed reunion album “Psycho Psycho”, largely considered the weakest entry into their repertoire with its slightly unfocused feel, couldn’t do much to ruin their reputation. The reality at present without Nasty Ronnie and Co. doesn’t seem too abstract; neither does it seem too exciting… it takes a bunch of wild savage bards to crack it and distort it in devious, delightful ways.

You Snooze, You Lose! - 95%

FearAbsentia, June 5th, 2017
Written based on this version: 1988, 12" vinyl, Metal Blade Records

Graced with an ominous Salvador Dali-esque landscape as it's cover, Nasty Savage's Abstract Reality is quite a unique hidden EP gem in the 80's thrash scene. Creating a perfect balance between technical soloing and pure thrashing rage and moshing, you're entering the Abstract Reality.

The guitar and rhythm section switches between piercing razor-sharp trashing and technical syncopation and soloing, which doesn't sound too dissimilar to what Death would do just a few years later. Nasty Ronnie's vocals for the most part are spitting and snarling, but sometimes he reaches King Diamond-esque falsettos. This is mostly heard on the third track, "Eromantic Vertigo". The preceding tracks, the title track and the punchy "Unchained Angel", are more pure shredding and spit-fire.

The best song on the EP, and maybe the band's best song is the rampaging closer "You Snooze, You Lose". This is a song that's out for blood, slamming the listener to the ground with a downpour of crashing Slayer-esque riffing. This is contrasted with singing guitar solos during the bridge, which are a lot more melodic. When this is all mixed together with some catchy guitar hooks and muscular drumming, it all works as one six-minute thrashterpiece.

The production is a bit muffled, but with music this good, it's not hard to get past that. If you're a fan of raw and caustic thrash, tech thrash, or the later material of bands like Death, this should be an essential listen. While not a full album, sometimes EP's hold a band's finest work.

Attribution: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/review/abstract-reality(ep)/342512

Artistically valuable - 85%

Felix 1666, January 27th, 2016
Written based on this version: 1988, 12" vinyl, Roadrunner Records

At the time of the release of "Abstract Reality", the pleasant aftertaste of "Indulgence" was still present. Nasty Savage had distinguished themselves as one of the most original bands in a scene that was bursting with juvenile strength. Due to the growing attention of the public, the inspired group was well advised to take advantage of the moment. Aside from these commercial aspects, Nasty Ronnie and his competent instrumentalists provided really strong tunes. Three of them were brand new, only "Unchained Angel" had been taken from their demo. But this was no problem at all. As far as I know, it is no sin to release demo tracks officially.

The title track welcomed the listener with ass-kicking leads that mixed harshness and forward thrust in an intriguing way. The straightforward appearance of the guitars did not display the band's affinity for the slightly weird melodies that had gilded previous tunes like "Fear Beyond the Vision" or "Hypnotic Trance". Nevertheless, the gang did not break with its traditions. "Abstract Reality" (the song) prolonged the rather straight approach of tracks like "Stabbed in the Back". In terms of heaviness, it was on a par with the most vehement tracks of the band. "Incursion Dementia" can be mentioned as a benchmark in this context. But the title track of the 12" did not only score with its massiveness. It was also catchy, vibrant and tumultuous at the same time while celebrating pure thrash metal. Competent tempo changes and a small number of bulky riffs were also included. This acoustic top athlete set the bar very high for the following tracks. A little bit too high.

The remaining songs did not achieve the same level of inexorability. They emphasized the psychedelic site of the band without showing any signs of softness. Equipped with riffs that combined crankiness and comprehensibility in a masterly manner, the songs delivered the typical odd atmosphere which had become a kind of trademark of the band. Especially "Eromantic Vertigo" was stuffed with these alarming, egging and confusing riffs. Due to the dense sound of the vinyl, the song had the aura of a tank that overcomes all obstacles. But the final number also left its mark in view of the almost mystically tight guitar sound. The high number of different riffs, licks, leads and solos provided evidence that Ben Meyer and David Austin needed a playground for their overflowing creativity.

Do you really need more reasons to give "Abstract Reality" a shot? I don't think so, but as a precautionary measure, I would like to mention the expressive lead vocals, the decent playtime and the - once again - outstanding cover. Its surreal artwork gave the EP the final touch. Too bad that Nasty Savage never reached this quality level again.

And she chose the fire - 72%

autothrall, April 3rd, 2010

With Nasty Savage's sophomore album Indulgence, the band had made a positive shift in direction towards the technical, schizophrenic thrash metal that was dominating both sides of the Atlantic by the late 80s. And if anything, the followup EP Abstract Reality was ample proof that the band had no intentions of turning back to their corny, showy metal roots any time soon. With four of the most proficient and no nonsense tracks of the band's career, and a new bassist in step (this is the only recording Chris Moorhouse would appear on with the band) they asserted themselves firmly into the tight wedge that comprised the more sophisticated end of the metal spectrum, without losing the sporadic insanity of Nasty Ronnie's Jr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde/steamroller meets siren vocal presence.

As far as the shortplay release goes, Abstract Reality isn't all that cheap with your purse. You get four new tracks that last almost 20 minutes, an interesting continuity through the use of the same abstract cover artist as Indulgence. But chances are if you own either that CD or the original CD release of the debut, you've got this tacked on there, and you'll notice the obvious 'drift' between the bands roots and their late 80s direction. It works best as a bridge between Indulgence and Penetration Point, of course, since that's the geography of its origin, and the very tight performances are like a sharpening of the proverbial vorpal sword, to prepare the fan for the steadily hacking force of the 3rd album. Savage continue their predisposition towards pseudo-intellectual themes with song titles like "Abstract Reality" and "Eromantic Vertigo", but they've got the musical complexity to back it up.

First is the title track, which barrels along like a meatier, but less bloodied chunk of Rigor Mortis type murder-thrash. The riffs are solid though average, and the prize here goes to Nasty Ronnie, who is giving one of his most controlled, but powerful performances. The bridge and solo are likewise quite good, with a structured schizoid thrash rhythm that dares to peer into the padded cell of the band's psychotic imagery. "Unchained Angel" is a slightly dirtier groove that heralds a female apocalypse, with strangely seductive lyrics considering their cataclysmic ramifications. Once again, it's the vocals and solo break that carry the song. The riffing provides enough thrust to get the pit swirling and heads banging, but they're not highly memorable. "Eromantic Vertigo" has some of the better guitars here, with circular, madness-inducing patterns that flow in a rather clinical response to the vocals that rush right down the middle like a crafty receiver being flanked by walls of epileptic linemen. "You Snooze, You Lose" seems like a rather tired cliche for a song title here, but the music itself is monstrous, and I'd have to say it is the most impressive due to the violent orgasmic riffing. The chorus is obvious, and ignorable as the music moves with such barbaric certainty.

On the strength of Indulgence and Abstract Reality, it is rather perplexing how Nasty Savage would not rise to the ranks of the better known thrash alumni. But to be honest, the more technical, progressive leanings of the genre went widely ignored by all but the closest of listeners, thus you had brilliant, first rate albums like Coroner's No More Color, Artillery's By Inheritance and Deathrow's Deception Ignored, each with stronger, more complex and interesting riffing than a dozen of today's stacked hyper tech death metal bands, known to but a few. And those were European bands, hailing from countries of arguably far better taste than our own. Snug in their Florida dwellings, where death metal was swiftly becoming the next big thing, Nasty Ronnie and company must have seemed sadly doomed, though they were one of the few interesting thrash bands ever to hail from the South.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Surrealistic Thrash Perfection - 96%

Rael, June 21st, 2007

'Abstract Reality' is the pinnacle of Nasty Savage's brand of surreal thrash. In a compact EP of four songs, the band nods to their trad-metal past with a revived, re-recorded "Unchained Angel", while the other three songs are the best things the band would ever do.

At this point Nasty Savage's riffs sounded like they were inverted, written normally and then played backwards in a bizarre mirror image. These types of riffs started to appear on 'Indulgence', and here they're all over the place.

The warped weirdness that happens after the solo section of the title song is a perfect example of how unusual this band's writing was at the time. With plenty of time changes throughout each of the 3 then-new songs, this is an almost disorienting ride, where you never really know what's around the corner. Chances are, it's gonna be a super-fucked-up riff sequence with equally strange lead work. "Eromantic Vertigo" is the pinnacle of the whole deal, with its warped, melted opening riffs. Together with Nasty Ronnie's King Diamond-esque falsetto, it's easy to see why N.S. were often compared with Mercyful Fate back in the day. Final track "You Snooze, You Lose" has a dumb title, but musically it's like psychedelic Slayer, and probably the heaviest bastard of the bunch. The circus-like twin-guitar psychedelia near the end is perfectly odd--yet another highlight of this release.

The recording is perfect, everything audible with plenty of impact, and not too clean. Very natural and "live" sounding. The reverb on Nasty Ronnie's voice gives a strange, otherworldly feel to the material, on top of the already unorthodox approach to the music.

They would never be the same again. 'Penetration Point' was a bit (ahem) stiff, and though it has its moments, it always felt like a let-down compared to the progressive 'Indulgence' and this godly EP.