CD Reviews

• Zero Tolerance
  Review from ZERO TOLERENCE Issue Dec '08
  THRASH & BURN "An Irish tribute to Thrash"
  
  This album has been a labour of love for compiler Ian Lawless, who has spent three years gathering covers of classic Thrash tracks by 15 Irish bands, and an interesting and enjoyable collection it is.
  
  There's a nice cross-section of classic material present, with Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Kreator, Sepultura, Testament and Vio-lence all represented, though sadly no Exodus or Dark Angel.
  
  The many highlights include Viocosis' version of Sacred Reich's "The American way", Sol Axis' brutal "Raise the Dead" and Only Fumes & Corpses' Punky version of D.R.I.'s "I don't need society", which wasn't really Thrash but what the hell. Sorrowfall's Thrash/BM/Metal core "Fade to Black", however, is an aquired taste and not as good as there usual material, but although id doesn't work foe me, it's nice that not everything here is a straightforward cover.
  
  Good stuff whether or not you're nostalgic for the '80s, and a reminder of how good some of these less-well known tracks are - a companion album with the original versions would kick ass!
  
  Will Penfold 5
  
  

• Live4Metal.com
  Thrash and Burn 'An Irish Tribute to Thrash' (Underground Movement) Review by Crin
  
  Irelands up-and-coming metal acts pay tribute to some of the finest Thrashers of yester-year the biog exclaims!. Well, plucking a cd's worth of thrash tracks is a hit and miss affair as you could make 100 of 'em, each with high quality covers. So, to get a feel for this unusual release we may as well go track by track,
  
  Mass Extinction cover "Kill on Command" by Vio-Lence, a pure razor sharp version much like the original and a blazing start to this release. Pure Thrash reborn.
  
  Sol Axis "Raise the Dead" by Bathory. The original was a raw to the bone ice embraced blackened hymn to aural terror. This is a very lame almost odd version as this is not a Black Metal version, but a thrashy take and I found it hard to stomach.
  
  Era Vulgaris "Five Magiks" by Megadeth, you need to be tight and shit hot to fuck around with a Megadeth track and get away with it. Well, this version just about scrapes by and after a few spins it is actually a fantastic cover. Very like the original in tone.
  
  Reign of Fire "Beneath the Remains" by Sepultura , from the cliched intro into a full Napalm Death style deathly thrash take on a classic. The cover works well.
  
  Warpath "Piece by Piece" by Slayer, This is a bottom heavy version with a grinding backbone. A pretty paint by numbers effort.
  
  Manifest "Seemingly Endless Time" By Death Angel, Thrash heaven returns here as all the attributes of the genre are spat out here with wicked precision.
  
  Nuclear Reign "Into the Pitt" by Testament, A choppy and faithful cover, neither bad nor jaw dropping.
  
  Only Fumes and Corpses "I Don't Need Society" By D.R.I, Fuck me!!, it takes one of the crossover bands to rip up the air with brazen riff chugging. A fine cover indeed.
  
  Sorrowfall "Fade to Black" by Metallica, the only real bastardization of a classic here as this version dismantles the original and reconstructs it in a completely different key. A brave move from a very capable band.
  
  Acrid Nebula "The Usurper" by Celtic Frost, like the original, bass heavy and sludge drenched. Frost fans will love this version.
  
  De Novisimus "Hang the Pope" by Nuclear Assault, a hugely enjoyable cover as the track is blasted out and for some odd reason descends into a bizarre guitar jam. The band must be on some Thrash acid.
  
  Christorgy "Satans Trampoline" By Lawnmower Deth, The British were not exactly bursting at the seams with bands from the Thrash era. We had the mighty Venom and Onslaught, but then things seemed to get a bit patchy. Lawnmower Deth just managed to stay around long enough to make a few decent albums. Here's a decent cover of a track that is as obscure as the band.
  
  Viocosis "The American Way" by Sacred Reich , Faithful thrash cover that evokes the era well.
  
  Raging Conflict "People of the Lie" by Kreator, The only German act here and its an odd track to cover, but still a fine effort.
  
  Darkest Era "Countess Bathory" By Venom, the cd ends with a watered down version of a classic Venom track, and as I am a huge Venom fanatic I was a bit pissed off when I heard this. I just cannot listen to a Venom track sounding so swishy washy.
  
  Thrash & Burn will be Ireland's first tribute to Thrash, and its quite an ass kicking release and one I am very impressed with.