Saturday 3 January 2015

Hammer - Terror (1991)

This is some killer brash thrash from Poland even if it should've emerged half a decade previous. Hammer is a quintet that went on to release a batch of albums; but for me this is their best effort - a speedy Overkill/Exodus-styled workmanlike performance of blazing guitars; clear vocal snaps and plenty of chunkiness and speed. Indeed it does have a very Americanised feel also bringing to mind the superb Vio-lence and so as a first attempt at explosive thrash this is an album that really grows on you because of its ability to remain catchy - the title track is a brilliant thrash workout featuring an accessible melody; flailing leads and that archetype '80s U.S. thrash sound but for an utterly rancid blitzkrieg bop check out 'Stul pysk'. Although there is an overall lack of variety this pretty much annihilates a majority of modern day thrash acts; so forget the new kids on the block and instead dive into this lump of Polish extremity.
7.5/10

No comments: