Gang Green - Older (1989)

When kids were gettin' into metal in the '80s they were bombarded by different categories, usually dreamt up by magazines. Death metal, heavy metal, power metal, sleaze metal, glam metal, thrash metal, deathcore, speed metal, thrashcore, hardcore blah blah. In the end it was so confusing for metalhead teenagers. Gang Green were one of those bands classed as 'crossover', because the likes of D.R.I. had a thrashy riff every now and then, but they never had the thrash quality, the vocals were somehow different, the speed and atmosphere was different too..was it skatecore ? Crossover ? Who knows. Anthrax were always perceived as as thrash act but much of their sound bore similarities to acts such as Gang Green, DBC, D.R.I., as there was always a comedy element, and a party atmosphere. Gang Green play the same style of sweaty, moshin' metal that flits between styles but always remains streetwise and in devotion to Budweiser! But don't be put off by the beer-induced mayhem, or the lack of an image, because the chating chug of 'Just One Bullet' and 'We Can Go' still have a refreshing crunch. The whole record has a punkoid New York crunch that if it were a trifle would be a mix of Nuclear Asault, Wargasm, D.R.I., Murphy's Law and Motorhead, always promising aggression amidst that beer-laden rock 'n' roll. The brilliantly titled 'Bedroom Of Doom' kicks in with a sleazy rock n roll riff that I could imagine on a Beastie Boys record. Overall, it's a feisty beer soaked party of comedy gold. If it wasn't for bands like Gang Green, then modern acts such as Municipal Waste wouldn't exist.

7/10