Havok

Time Is Up

Written by: GR on 22/05/2011 18:43:26

Whilst it's probably fair to say the general hype surrounding the 'thrash revival' of the past few years has died down to normal levels, those bands who successfully got themselves noticed are plugging away at taking their careers to the next level. Some will inevitably fall by the wayside but 2011 sees second, third and even fourth albums being released by bands with no intention of being thrash-in-the-pan (oh come on, that's some quality wordplay!) affairs.

One such band is Havok, with their sophomore full-length effort "Time Is Up". Hailing from Denver, Colorado, these guys came to my attention as an unsigned entity back in the days of Myspace and have since found a home at Candlelight, releasing the decent but too hero-worshipping "Burn" in 2009. How do they stack up two years down the line, then? Quite a bit better I'm pleased to report. "Time Is Up" may serve up a full-throttle old-school thrash metal assault much as before, but Havok have managed to write a bunch of songs that are actually memorable as well as circle-pit inducing.

The ten tracks offer plenty of quality riffing and the usual dose of face-melting solos, as well as some well-considered melodies and harmonies that make the songs more interesting than a straightforward heads-down thrashing. The impressive guitar work takes centre stage, backed up by an overall performance that's tight and full of energy. The rhythm section shouldn't go unmentioned either, with some subtle yet inventive background action spicing things up along the way.

Frontman David Sanchez couldn't seem to decided upon a particular vocal style last time around but "Time Is Up" sees him find his aggressive sound and is all the better for it. There are no real weak tracks to be found, with personal highlights including the frenetic "D.O.A" and melodic "Scumbag In Disguise". Unsurprisingly the influence of the 80s legends is strong and obvious for all to hear on this album, as is the way for most thrash, but Havok have stepped up their game and carved out something worthy of attention. "Time Is Up" has garnered a fair few 9/10 reviews and whilst I can see why, personally I don't rate it quite that highly. Still, one that thrash fans should check out.

Download: D.O.A, Scumbag In Disguise, The Cleric
For The Fans Of: Thrash
Listen: Myspace

Release Date 29.03.2011
Candlelight Records

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