Havok - Burn (2009)

I probably shouldn't be reviewing these new thrash bands, or for that matter, the old funk acts because they never changed my life and probably don't deserve any recognition at all. However, Havok....part of the new wave of thrash acts currently doing the rounds and being touted as the next big thing. Of course, none of this new wave of thrash is the next best thing because it's too much of an imitation of the old best things, and doesn't come anywhere near the great age of Death Angel, Slayer etc. 'Burn' is a well trodden path which the likes of Warbringer, Evil, Hatchet, etc are taking, at once saturating the scene all too quickly. It's crunchy, it's relatively heavy, you know where the time changes are going to occur, when to headbang or not to headbang, and there's the countless nods to acts such as Slayer.

Now, I like my thrash..I was a thrasher, but my advice is this. Go and listen to Violence, Forbidden Death Angel, Defiance, etc, and then you'll hear real thrash. I take my hats off to these guys owing their sound to the days of old, and fair play for bringing it back, but it's nowhere near as good in 2009 as it was an '89. As for the cover, I think my mate drew something like that on his maths book....he was thirteen.

5/10