Man of Straw

Breaking news: Viking's second full-length benefits from a much better production than the debut. Okay, a worse sound was not possible, anyway, "Man of Straw" scores with a clear, differentiated and cutting mix. It is on a par with the sound of more famous thrash albums of its time. Unfortunately, the vinyl suffers from another flaw. The entire A side fails to present a remarkable highlight. Is there any "Killer Unleashed" who intends to form a "Militia of Death"? Not at all. The five tracks pass by and show a more precise, more focused face of the formation, but this does not mean that the song-writing causes goose bumps. Acceptable and decent, these attributes describe the quality of the fairly complex tracks. The longest of them is called "They Raped the Land" and especially this fairly epic tune seems to be a harbinger of Dark Angel's overlong anthems from "Time Does Not Heal". But this statement only refers to its style, not to its class. Free from groovy elements, it consists of many different, mostly fast sections and the thrashing intention is omnipresent, but no matter how hard they try, their efforts do not result in a fascinating track.

"Winter", the opener of the B side, picks up this kind of configuration. And due to whatever reason, the first tones of this track mark the point where the album gains momentum. The song starts slowly, but it does not take long until the band releases all brakes. The riffing is catchy, the mid-paced parts as well as the fast eruptions capture my brain and some furious solos also add value to the song. I listen to an orgy of riffs which is combined with the vocals of Ron Erikson. He seems to be on the run and I wish somebody would give him a glass of water while he sings. The lyrics could almost fill a thick book and therefore it is no wonder that the dude runs out of breath. Speaking of the lyrical content, "Creative Divorce" deals with the arduousness of a husband and his crude thoughts. Well, who does not know this situation in one way or another? Nevertheless, most of us do not "plan her demise" and I hope that everybody who reads this review is not a part of the minority in this context. But on the other hand, I also think that most of us have never written such a strong piece of pure thrash. "Creative Divorce" glitters with a memorable chorus, clearly defined riffs and an extra portion of speed. The very solid title track, equipped with a similar design, closes the output that clocks in after 47 minutes. Attention, Anthrax: the lads of Viking deliver the real "Attack of the Killer B's".

Finally, I have to mention the most surprising track of "Man of Straw". Viking do not make innovative experiments, but they have recorded an unexpected cover song. I am speaking of Pat Benatar's "Hell Is for Children". For sure, Erikson and his mates consumed very special pills the day they decided to choose exactly this piece. Anyway, they avoid kitschy elements and the roaring voice gives the song a brutal touch. However, this catchy number remains an exception. Viking do not have a general affinity for pop songs and their own compositions are rather demanding than easily accessible. Too bad that the first half of the vinyl fails to deliver one or two hits. This fact makes it impossible to give a higher rating, even though the B side has an invigorating effect. Not to mention the better production...

Viking were one band that should of gotten more credit. The band hails from Los Angeles, the same place were bands such as Slayer, Megadeth, and even Metallica were formed. Viking were simply riff machines, they just made killer riff after killer riff. We will be reviewing their sophomore effort titled Man of Straw here...

The album opens with one of the most killer openers on any thrash album ever, "White Death". This track opens with strong riffs courtesy of guitarists Ron and Brett Eriksen (they're not real brothers). Ron handles vocal duties and he has a great vocal style which is sort of a hybrid mix of Tom Araya of Slayer and Phil Rind of Sacred Reich. His vocals are thrash as fuck and he spits out the lyrics with considerable force. Brett is killer on this record, his solos are crazy. He just downright shreds, it's awesome.

"They Raped The Land" is more mid tempo than fast thrash but it has killer riffs to make up for it. Ron's vocals are excellent here, especially when he shouts "Maceration, the constant erosion. Total immersion, they raped the land. Massive infusion, man's inclination. Hydraulic destruction, THEY RAPED THE LANDDD!!" That is awesome right there.

"Twilight Fate" is an okay track, but not as memorable as the previous two. "The Trial" opens with a awesome bass intro by James Lareau. Lareau is an awesome bassist, he isn't too flashy but he puts on a great performance here. Drummer Matt Jordan is a fantastic drummer and his drum work is incredible. His drumming adds to the force and power of Ron and Brett's riffs.

The best part of the album is the epic near 8 minute track titled "Winter". This track is riff galore, riffs are just everywhere to be found. The riffs are among some of the most underrated in thrash history, they are that great. You must hear it to believe it. Next is a cover of Pat Benatar's "Hell Is For Children". This track fits well surprisingly. Just like many other covers by thrash metal bands, Viking truly make it their own. The song then turns into full out thrash and a killer solo follows. Overall, this cover fits quite well on the album.

"Creative Divorce" is my other favorite, with some awesome lyrics such as "Too late to annul, so I plan her demise. Creative Divorce, asphyxiate the bride!" The riffs are also strong here, which isn't surprising because Viking are riff machines. The record closes with the title track, which is very well written and has killer riffs but it doesn't stick as much as "Winter" and "Creative Divorce" did. It's still a decent track though.

Overall, this is a must listen for the die-hard thrashers out there. The riffs are very strong, the force of the bass and drums are considerably powerful here, and the songs are extremely well written. I highly recommend this to fans of Slayer, Sacred Reich, Exodus, and Dark Angel. FYI: Brett Eriksen would go on to join Dark Angel and write and perform on the album "Time Does Not Heal". I honestly prefer Man of Straw though, but Time Does Not Heal is excellent too. ENJOY THE RIFFS!

Highlights: EVERYTHING!

When I got a hold of this album some time in the late-90’s, I had no idea that this act were actually in a pristine, rough-around-the-edges “do or die” situation on their debut a year earlier. Not that it mattered that much as this piece of metal remains one of the highlights on the whole US scene, a primal slab of stupendous, ass kicking rifforamas that only trve Viking descendants were capable of producing. This effort takes a nice central role in the thrash metal kaleidoscope, between the aggressive bashing of Slayer, Dark Angel and Morbid Saint, and the technical/progressive excursions that started becoming prevalent in the late-80’s thanks to acts like Realm, Toxik, Watchtower, and Blind Illusion. This mediator’s stance was another voluminous pool also occupied by Wargasm, Vio-Lence, Wrath, Mordred, early Flotsam & Jetsam, and the debuts of Death Angel, Heathen and Forbidden. These artists borrowed from both sides, more readily from the latter, with some eventually ending up on the more proficient, more complex side of the spectre.

Not our valiant Vikings here, though, who didn’t have the time for that, or rather didn’t want to see themselves tempted by the oncoming new trends by stepping into the 90’s. So this piece of unadulterated classic thrash remained their last recording for a very long period of time. It’s a great testimony of the band’s skills, and “White Death”, with its officiant stomping rhythms, already forebodes great things to come before impetuous gallops take over later turning into a furious ball of speed catapulted with the utmost intensity into the relentless melee which also features a brilliant melodic lead section. Thrashing madness at its uncompromising best proceeding with “They Raped the Land”, a more intricately woven number with a wider array of tempo changes recalling their neighbours from the Bay-Area, Ron Eriksen’s attached semi-clean/semi-shouty vocals making a very positive impression assisting the fast-paced “skirmishes” with panache. “Twilight Fate” is a short, more immediate thrasher the guys raging with all the anger they can summon still finding time for a few smattering tempo shifts. “The Trial” follows the same pattern, less bridled thrashing with perennially speedy crescendos and piercing, screamy leads with which ends the more bashing side of the album.

“Case of the Stubborns” complicates the environment with superb more intricate arrangements without losing the primal energy, a flawless riff-fest with a pleiad of guitar configurations which stop the listener’s pummelling with a cool stomping passage before the rousing technical, also drum-infused, finale. “Winter” is the “coldest” song here, and it takes time for it to pick up speed and inertia although the pounding riffage that occupies the first half is perfectly acceptable; expect headbanging delights later as the guys embark on a speedy “conquest” their stride intercepted by more pounding officiancy which is smitten by the hyper-active epitaph, some of the most compulsively headbangable cannonades this side of Wargasm’s “Why Play Around” and Vio-Lence’s “Eternal Nightmare”. Soft friendly riffs follow; what’s the story? The story may not be familiar to all metal heads as this is a cover of the 80’s rock goddess Pat Benatar’s “Hell is for Children”, a surprisingly faithful rendition with even Eriksen acquiring much cleaner notes to match the frolic aura of this evergreen. One may not be sure what to make of this unexpected turn of events, but once “Creative Divorce” hits the speakers, the fan will fall into spasmodic mosh; this is intense shredding at its most cutting and spinning the obligatory slower mid-break just a short respite in these exhausting 6.5-min of hard, no-bars-held thrashing. The title-track comes next to wrap on this meisterwerk with another portion of aggressive remorseless strokes, the band relaxing for a short bit with a momentary laid-back relapse only to increase the intensity to nearly proto-deathy proportions as a finishing touch.

Immaculate riff-fests of the kind were not a rarity at that time with a lot of practitioners trying to impress the audience before the end of the decade due to the uncertainty settling in the air regarding the future of the scene. And yet, this opus stands out well more determinedly than a straw in the wind, the epitome of the thrash metal movement in all its non-contaminated glory, one of the Big Four of this middle ground alongside the already mentioned Wargasm and Vio-Lence albums, and Torture’s “Storm Alert”. It’s great to trace the Viking connection on American soil all the way to our favourite metal, and see that’s it’s nothing short of outstanding. This connection didn’t last very long, though, as this was the last album the guys produced before a gigantic hiatus. The guitar player Brett Eriksen joined his colleagues from Dark Angel for the creation of the 246-riff “monster” “Time Does Not Heal” while the others focused on their born-again Christian status, and abandoned the battle… sorry, metal field.

Another Viking invasion in the new millennium bore “No Child Left Behind”, a great return for the horde on the arena with Eriksen’s siren leading the pack, the other original member Matt Jordan behind the drumkit. A classic thrash marvel, this new instalment sees them not having lost even a small bit from their musical prowess of old, joining the fray of those veterans who managed to come back with flying colours. The Viking ship continues sailing; what other shores it’ll reach in the future, that no one can foresee, but there will by all means be other wicker men going up in flames...

Man of Straw is an interesting album with some clear changes and concessions from the blitz of Viking's debut Do or Die. For one, the production is far superior, with a great clear guitar tone that sounds good even after a few decades. Ron Daniels is also better on this album, though he loses little in the way of his angered edge (perhaps sounding a little closer to Araya here). Daniels had also become a born again Christian, so a lot of the lyrics to this album would quality the band as a Christian thrash act, though not all of them. This can be distracting if you are one to actually sit and read through while you listen, provided you belong to the metal majority that believes Jesus should have nothing to do with certain forms of metal (well, not in a positive, inspiring light).

But really, though I thought some of the lyrics were crap myself, they in no way hinder the real strength of Man of Straw, which is the improved capacity for catchy guitar riffs. Sure, they may not evoke the speedway disaster of Do or Die's endless, storming rhythms, but they stand out through a number of tracks. "White Death" begins with an epic mosh sequence, reminiscent of something Anthrax might write, and it evolves into a Destruction-like, rolling rhythm which makes it one of the most memorable pieces on the album. "They Raped the Land" follows a similar pattern, and "Twilight Fate" offers yet another big mosh/crunch sequence, though it quickly morphs into a faster, thrashing gait. "The Trial" is the most Jesus-centric of the album's compositions, with a fine bass-driven intro and riffs that would not have sounded out of place on an earlier Slayer album. "Case of the Stubborns" is one of the best songs I've heard from Viking, with a catchy stop/start in between its flowing speed metal mutes, melodies, and great breakdowns that will have you tearing up the pit (or your couch, whichever is closest).

'Expiration date is spent and blood in veins turned sour
Many days ago we passed, supposed final hours
Unused organs start to swell, limbs begin to stiffen
Though life continues, death advances, avoidance of oblivion'

"Winter" builds a slowly thrashing rhythm, huge crunch and tone propelling Daniel's vocals, and when it kicks on the speed after the 3:00 mark, you are sucked right back into the style of riff that dominated the debut. The choice to cover Pat Benatar's "Hell is For Children" may seem uncanny on the surface, but Viking do a surprisingly good job with it, and it's more interesting than a lot of metal band covers of other metal bands. "Creative Divorce" is another of Viking's best, with a steady flow of rhythms which recalls their earlier energy, emboldened with the more brazen production of Man of Straw. Good song, and a nice lead-in to the bass-fueled intro to the title track, which also features some strong riffs, like the one that breaks out at 1:40.

Man of Straw was a step forward for this band, whether or not you agree with the appearance of the few Christian-themed lyrics. They still sounded close enough to their peers (Dark Angel, Slayer, Sadus, Hexx, etc) to create a nice overlap of fans, but not too much like any one single band that you'd consider them derivative. Of course, Man of Straw would mark the end for the Californians, so we are left in the dark as to whether lightning could have struck again. But surely there is a great potential here and this is a good album, which has only lost a smidgeon of appeal in the decades since. Fittingly, guitarist Brett Sarachek would go to join Dark Angel for a few years, including the Time Does Not Heal album.

Highlights: White Death, Case of the Stubborns, Creative Divorce, Man of Straw

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

"...why do you think that He should spare a man who mocked and cursed His name..."

Recorded at the tail end of ‘88/birth of ’89, Man of Straw came near the last gasp-era of bay area thrash. With that said, it’s quite obvious the four-piece aren’t overturning rocks with their sound most established, but do manage to play it tightly at times and in those times with surefooted intensity, and sometimes I’d be more apt to plop this on rather than the debut Sacrifice lp, Blessed Death, or Defiance, but for the most part (and the more you spin it), any veteran of the style will see and hear the commonplace of this nine-tracker.

“White Death” opens side one like the calm before the storm, a slowly methodical and tedious riff that gradually rises to the occasion with a few variable rhythms - one that chugs with a limp that eventually manages a full sprint, one that breaks with intervening bass, and a few basic ones thrown in to fill it all out with a layering of decent solos on top. It’s not until around halfway through “They Raped the Land” and after another stuttering riff that frantic thrash finally comes out swinging. The vocals of Ron Eriksen aren’t atypical for the style - unkind, mid-ranged, on the rugged side with a hint of training, and even falls into the falsetto addiction once in an eclipse. In a true thrash vein, “The Trial” rises to its feet, its chorus a mesh of single riff discharge with Eriksen standing with his foot on the amp and mike in hand all the while. The insipidly titled “Case of the Stubborns” mingles some strong hair-swinging notions with ones an electric shock may have a chance to vitalize.

Starting off with the urgency of old people eating, “Winter” lumbers along in a ho-hum, non-descript trance, double bass trying to push it to another level but failing, and here and there like brief spring showers acute distraught vibes latch on, but never long enough to pull the track out of tedium. The Pat Benatar cover, “Hell is for Children”, proves to be a real necessity and only warrants mention toward the end when they shake the cobwebs loose and actually show some liveliness. “Creative Divorce” and the title cut sit on the fence between a hat full of mildly invigorating melodies and ones that can heat up the room a few more degrees with the end of the latter track pulling it a horse’s head to the forefront.

Okay, the quartet have their moments and most of them are rammed into “The Trial”, so if there’s a song for me to sanction, that’d be it. The band is musically precise and can muster up thrash ferocity when they’re not too busy creating mid-tempo main riffs that should merely be connective to the screamers, but ideas in the style were waning as a whole, so what are you going to do? Now if I can just find that cassette of Do or Die, which is a much more unruly affair.

It's yet another average thrash album, kids. At times, they really get the ball rolling, but at other times they just kinda wallow around in average midpaced riffage. The first Viking LP failed because it was overfast for overfast's sake, and the production was just about an atrocity. Here, the production is pretty fucking good, and they slowed down, but they only came up with a few real skullsmashing riffs in a long period of time. There is really nothing WRONG with the album per se, it's just that it's oh-so-right for only very small intervals.

Highlight of the album: Winter, around 4.54 in they go into a tribute to Tired and Red with some monster fucking riffage from completely out of nowhere. This continues for about two minutes, and even the rest of the song is all right (though pretty much a Vio-lence riffset leading into sort of a ripoff of Artillery's "Time Has Come", played at 75% speed), but those two minutes are godliness. Also, the opening track, White Death, is pretty well done. PRAYING ON THE UNSUSPECTING ONES!!!

Unfortunately, after one song or so, they really run out of ideas, and no other single song is excellent in entirety. The Pat Benatar cover, Hell is for Children, really picks up around halfway through when they decide "to Hell with Pat Benatar, let's thrash". I haven't heard the original in like 10 years, but I certainly don't remember there being monster thrash riffs at the end. Also, The Trial, while it is indeed casting a far too favourable view of Das Jesus, is pretty decent - though I think I preferred it when it was called "Kill Again", and spoke about letting the infant die! Yeah, you've heard these riffs elsewhere before... that wouldn't be so bad by itself (Exumer made a career of playing Show No Mercy and Bonded by Blood), but it's just that the execution is kinda mediocre.

As for the rest... well, Creative Divorce and the title track are okay, but then I can't really remember anything about the rest. Not really essential, unless you completely fucking dig thrash or something.