Usually when you write the words “Thrash
Metal” in a sentence, you’re bound to think Big Four, USA or Germany. So it always comes as a surprise when Thrash
Metal bands come from some places where you'd think most people are into Black
Metal or what else. NoFuck is a rather young Italian band that released their debut
Existenzminimum two years ago.
By taking a quick look at the bio and the many reviews they got from this record, I do believe they want to make this work and eventually keep on thrashing till they get signed by a record label.
Nothing wrong with this. We all know that "sub-genre" music has quite a strong appeal on a few people even though unless you’re
Metallica or
Slayer you quite well know that you’re not going to get rich playing Thrash
Metal.
Their approach is honest and so is their music. I did enjoy most of the records. Sure it's a debut, and as such, it has its pluses and minuses. The overall feeling being rather a positive one according to me, I'd rather list the few things that almost annoyed me and end up with what really pleased me.
The production on this record is a bit too clean for me. I am used to Thrash
Metal classics like early
Slayer or
Dark Angel, and the sound found on
Existenzminimum belongs more to the likes of
Testament or
Death Angel, which I have always found to be too "polished" for me. Thrash
Metal is about playing your music with the rage in your guts, not coming up with a
Metal version of your favorite "pop" ballad like a few bands, including the two aforementioned bands, did to try and get a wider audience.
Considering this album was recorded in 2008 and not back in 1984-86, obviously it does sound modern. It’s not something that was recorded in some basement with pro-tools but you can tell there’s real “production” in here.
Again, if you’re somewhat allergic to “modern” sound and would expect something “
Venom” style, please reconsider ever buying this record.
The good thing in this record is really much the songwriting. Every damn song has catchy riffing and its fair share of “brutality”.
That’s even enhanced with vocals very much close to those found on
Sepultura’s
Beneath The
Remains, and sometimes you could even think the singer turned into a
Death Metal growler.
Musically, we’re in something that sometimes take a few bites off of
Sacred Reich’s Surf Nicaragua mixed with the introspectiveness of
Acid Reign's
Obnoxious. Actually as if the record was some unofficial offspring in
Acid Reign's discography, some unreleased record between Moshkinstein/The Fear and
Obnoxious. Not quite yet the "intelligent" thrashing of the most controversial "pink" album but a bit further the moshing appetite of the
Anthrax-clone that the Brits certainly were earlier on.
Add to this a few breaks that have an undeniable
Pantera flavor to them, and you could almost picture NoFuck's peculiar sound with exquisite precision. This is, without any doubt, a very sound release that I believe most people will come to appreciate though it's more of an acquired taste. Obviously, if you like your Thrash
Metal plagued with Black
Metal hints (the hippest trend around lately), you really would find this quite not to your taste. I, for myself, think of it as a good continuation of the Thrash
Metal adventure that, unlike many other bands, does not necessarily copy the former masters but takes on the less traveled road of innovation without ever losing sight of their ultimate goal.
And that is: playing some pretty darn good Thrash
Metal.
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