Party on, dudes!
Whilst there is a thrash resurgence of late, running not too far behind it has been a resurgence in crossover/thrash metal - that hybrid of thrash and punk commonly associated with the likes of D.R.I. and Animosity era Corrosion Of Conformity. Quite possibly leading that charge are the self described party thrash quartet from Richmond Virginia (U.S.A.) known as Municipal Waste. After two releases, 2003's Waste 'Em All and 2005's Hazardous Mutation, vocalist Tony Foresta, guitarist Ryan Waste, bassist “LandPhil” Philip Hall and drummer Dave Witte have returned with yet another slab of high speed, no nonsense crossover thrash dubbed The Art Of Partying.
When is an intro not really an intro? When it is the forty second blast titled Pre-Game, of course! It's fast and furious and devoid of Foresta's vocal bite, but it sets the scene for the title track, The Art Of Partying, and in fact the remainder of the album as well. Municipal Waste take no prisoners with their full on crossover thrash assault with the only let up coming in the form of the odd slower middle section here and there. The gang vocals on the blistering Headbanger Face Rip completely enhance the old school vibe that the Waste deliver, and there's no letting up with the driving Mental Shock either. The brief tempo variations (read slower) of A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Destroyer) and the sinister sounding The Inebriator spice things up a little, but rest assured that there's still plenty of pedal to the metal thrash within each.
The band's party nature shines through on the top notch duo Lunch Hall Food Brawl and Beer Pressure, whilst Chemically Altered has more of a punk vibe to it at times. But it's game on with the slamming Sadistic Magician, which also showcases some excellent gang vocals, and the restrained pace during parts of Open Your Mind keeps the album fresh and interesting. There's little chance of rest on the run home with a relentless aural assault coming in the form of Radioactive Force, Septic Detonation and Rigorous Vengeance in very quick succession. The final track, Born To Party, is an updated version of a song that Municipal Waste recorded originally as a part of a split EP with Crucial Unit back in 2002, and it's possibly intentionally now 4:20 in duration, with a hidden cheesy out of character cover song at the very end.
Municipal Waste are serious about their fun and partying, and The Art Of Partying is the very essence of that. If 80's crossover thrash a-la D.R.I. and early Corrosion Of Conformity is your thing, then you can't call yourself a fan if you don't dig Municipal Waste, as these guys are truly the modern day leaders of the genre!
(Earache Records/Riot! Distribution)
