Krush the Enemy

We've all been there, at least once: a band strikes absolute gold with an album, then inevitably fails to recapture whatever made it so great, as if not even they themselves were sure how they did it in the first place. Lightning in a Bottle aims to cover those (usually debut) albums that turned out to be one-time feats for their respective bands.

First formed under the very DC-esque moniker of 'Texas Metal Alliance', Warbeast were a peculiar meeting point for some pretty notable members of the TX metal scene, gathered under the wing of its arguably most renowned exponent, for better or worse (Phil Anselmo and his Housecore Records). Among their ranks, maniacs from cult thrash formations such as Gammacide, Rigor Mortis, Rotting Corpse immediately catch the eye, though with the icing on the cake provided by then-unknown drummer Joe Gonzalez, formerly in the minor death metal band Demonseed and later appearing alongside Anselmo in the Illegals and the Superjoint one-time revival. Granted, they got their back covered by a label from their very beginnings, but from such veterans we could expect at the very least a solid, if unoriginal offering in the 'yeah, the 80s were awesome and here's our unnecessary reminder for you' vein, but worth a couple headbanging sessions before forgetting it.

Then, in 2010, Krush the Enemy actually came, and... talk about an apt title.

With the possible exception of 'Self Will Run Riot' (which still serves as a showcase for Gonzalez's death metal leanings with those blast beats in the bridge), or maybe a little bit of trimmable fat on 'Stalker', it really is banger after banger from front to end. 'Scorched Earth Policy' is the best song Rigor Mortis never wrote, with Rick Perry somehow beating Kerry King and Darren Travis at their own game in the filthy, squealing solo. Yet, it's no absolute triumph of nostalgia, as proved by 'Born with a Blackened Heart', basically the antithesis to the former track, with its vaguely classy lead interlude, while 'The Controller' and the groovy 'Guardian Angel' are just flat-out brilliant. 'The Plague at Hand' and especially 'Unleashed' provide the most vertiginous accelerations of the album, yet the impression is of a band in total control of the sheer madness it's creating. Okay, I can just cut it off right here, since you can't really go wrong with any track.

Again, one shouldn't be staggered after hearing that veteran musicians in their 50s can play their respective instruments pretty well, but you know how bad this kind of supergroups can go, right? Instead, Perry and his historic partner in crime Scott Shelby may have just been on fire during the recording sessions, because they never give the impression to phone in their performances, not a single instant, and excuse me if that does amaze me. However, the still professional mixing tends to slightly favour the vocals, and having discovered Warbeast thanks to Gammacide (thus, back in those days, completely ignoring the existence of Rigor Mortis) Bruce Corbitt's trademark snarl needed some time to grow on me; in hindsight, though, it's not too different to what already heard on their cult s/t debut, just with less reverb, and the material behind him is so good that it would overcome almost any kind of bad vocalists and still come out as a winner. Of course, with a huge helping hand by the seemingly infinite energy supply of Gonzalez's steamrolling drums.

Unfortunately, maybe also due to some lineup instability (most notably the exit of Rick Perry), Warbeast's following material always seemed to me as more hit or miss. Nothing awful, yet nothing spectacular either. The sophomore Destroy was a textbook case of inconsistency, where filler and classic tracks went arm in arm with no in-between, and it was also marred by an excessively imbalanced production, which makes me suspect they took the title too seriously. Enter the Arena, the final work of the band, solved both the issues (production-wise, only partly) but at the cost of an ultimately lower average quality, ending up being kinda the type of album I hinted to in the first paragraph. The history of Warbeast from then on appeared destined to a cruel end, due to Corbitt's shocking cancer diagnosis, and so unfortunately was, officially leaving Krush the Enemy as the sole modern classic in their discography, among other things.

R.I.P. Bruce Corbitt.

Anyone who's read my reviews will know that I'm not a big fan of thrash. It's a stubbornly non-evolving genre, and I like a little evolution. To make an impression on me, a thrash album has to be truly great. So it was with trepidation that I picked up Warbeast's Krush the Enemy after Metallattorney called it the best thrash album of 2010.

Warbeast is made up of Texas thrashers who have been around for a long time, and they're signed to Phil Anselmo's Housecore Records. Though they clearly have the chops of guys with a lot of experience, they also have that indefinable hunger that allows some younger bands to release inredible debuts. The music is not the mid-paced fare of old thrashers like recent Sodom or Death Angel--it's punishingly fast in every song. But they do take time to slow down and provide some melody for a few brief seconds here and there, providing a much-needed contrast that keeps the music from becoming one big blur.

Every instrument is expertly played and well-produced, making it feel like a superb live performance rather than a Pro Tools chopped-up and sanitized affair. As with all thrash metal, the guitar is clearly the star of the game, playing solo after solo after solo, and each one of them is interesting. The vocals remind me of Lair of the Minotaur, and the lyrics tend toward violence with a measure of misogyny.

Highlights include the title track, "Blackened Heart", and "Scorched Earth Policy", but every track is worth listening to. My only complaint is the awkward chorus in "Self Will Run Riot", but the opening bassline saves the song from being a disaster.

The Verdict: I don't usually listen to much thrash, but when it's really damn good, I'll make an exception. I'll make an exception for Warbeast's Krush the Enemy.

originally written for http://fullmetalattorney.blogspot.com/

Texas thrashers, Warbeast, started playing together in 2006 under the name Texas Metal Alliance. They originally formed as a sort of cover band using material from the members' previous projects to play a benefit concert for a friend who was involved in a motorcycle accident. Although various veterans of the DFW metal scene played live with Texas Metal Alliance for the benefit show, the true core of the band decided to carry on and began writing original material. They were signed to Phil Anselmo's Housecore label on the strength of their demo, and they soon changed their name to the more appropriate Warbeast.

Krush the Enemy, Warbeast's debut release, crushes not only the enemy, but all who dare to get in its path. They utilize their veteran expertise, attention to detail, and a powerful modern production job (courtesy of Anselmo himself) to show today's younger thrash bands how it's done. Members of Warbeast have spent time playing with classic DFW thrash acts like Rigor Mortis and Gammacide, so they know the ropes. Bruce Corbitt (also of Rigor Mortis) does not sing; he commands you to listen. His trademark yell has only been beefed-up and improved upon since his early Rigor Mortis days. The guitars are catchy and straight-forward, but never boring. The interaction between guitarists Rick Perry and Scott Shelby (both Gammacide members) is one of the strongest aspects of the album. These guys work very well in tandem. They compliment each other in a way that can only be accomplished by playing together for numerous years. The guitar work probably shines the most overall on "Born With a Blackened Heart." This song displays Warbeast's strong melodic sense throughout its duration and is filled with awesome traded guitar solos. Actually, the guitarists often trade blistering solos back and forth on the album, which helps keep the energy level of the songs at a fever pitch. Harmonies in both the solos and the riffs on Krush the Enemy also add a real sense of finesse. The ghost of classic Slayer manifests itself in random places throughout this release. For instance, it can be heard in the solos of "Scorched Earth Policy" and in the harmonized riff near the end of "Self Will Run Riot." In fact, Kerry and Jeff should be embarrassed if they hear "Scorched Earth Policy" because Warbeast can pull off Slayer better than the real Slayer can these days. The guitars on Krush the Enemy have a thick, yet clear tone that allows all of their nuances to be heard easily. Minor details like the subtle pinch harmonics in the main riff of "Guardian Angel" and rhythmic use of the whammy bar in "Krush the Enemy" pepper the album with added flavor. These little extras give Krush the Enemy a very professional feel that makes it a cut above many recent thrash releases.

The rhythm section also does more than its fair share to make Krush the Enemy such an excellent album. Alan Bovee (also of Gammacide) handles the bass and generally follows the rhythm guitars. However, he has the chance to truly stand out in "Self Will Run Riot," most notably during the bass intro. He also plays some bad ass off-kilter harmonies with the guitars in "The Plague at Hand." Another main source of Warbeast's power comes from drummer Joe Gonzalez. He also pounds the skins in Dallas death metal band, Demonseed. Gonzalez blends his death metal sensibilities with classic thrash drumming for a powerful combo. Tight-as-hell, high-tempo thrash drumming is his weapon of choice on Krush the Enemy. However, thumping double-bass drums add a heavy bottom end to many of the songs and blast beats even make a brief appearance in "Self Will Run Riot."

On Krush the Enemy, all of Warbeast's members contribute just the right ingredients to create a nearly flawless thrash achievement. There are really no song highlights because the whole album is so consistent. Thrash fans both young and old should enjoy Krush the Enemy. Like recent Exodus releases, this album is the perfect blend of old-school know-how and a powerful modern production. The members of Warbeast are a commanding presence both on record and on stage, proving that they can hang with nearly any thrash band out there today. If you ever have the chance to see them live, don't pass it up. They will tear you a new one with no apologies. In the meantime, check out Krush the Enemy if you want a one hundred percent fun and crushingly heavy thrash album. I can't recommend it enough to serious thrash fans.

Originally written for http://www.metalpsalter.com