*now up on MetalReview.com!
Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m a huge sucker for this style of vintage-y, punky, tongue-in-cheek thrash. If it’s got razor-sharp riffs, headbanger-friendly chuggas, lyrics about cheap beer and circle pits, and nasty-ass vocals, I’m usually all over it. Lately, though, that sound is EVERYWHERE, and very single metal label around has been scrambling to pick up their own version of Municipal Waste. Merciless Death, Bonded By Blood, Fueled By Fire, Blood Tsunami, Dekapitator…their awesomeness is undeniable, but the whole “retro thrash” thing is getting a little out of hand. Yes, thrashing rules. Moshing rules. Beer rules. WE KNOW. That brings us to the topic of the day, Razorback Records' bid for the NWOATM (New Wave of American Thrash Metal; totally coining that shit!) crown, Metal Moshing Mad. To be fair, the awesomely-monikered and very Swedish horror-thrashers F.K.U. (which stands for Freddy Krueger’s Underwear; don’t hide behind that acronym, guys!) has been around for awhile, and their latest effort is actually a reissue of their 1999 debut. F.K.U. predate most of the new schoolers mentioned above, but fit pretty snugly within their ranks. These Swedes have served up a pretty enjoyable collection of chugging riffs, horror movie worship, gang chants, slapstick vio-lence, and a vocalist that, honest to god, manages to sound exactly like the Crypt Keeper (with a little death grunting and power metal yowling thrown in for flavor). Awesome? Fairly. Innovative? Err…no. The songs are short, tight, and well-constructed, and almost without exception serve as loving odes to all things undead, alcoholic, and thrash-worthy. A fun listen, to be sure, but I couldn’t call it essential (unless you’re really, really, REALLY into thrash). In short, F.K.U. are a motley crew of moshaholics who are obviously having fun with their music and are none too concerned with what anyone else has to say about it. Pick this up if you’re in the mood for a living room moshpit or a zombie movie marathon.
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