Artist: Degradation
Title: Juggernaut
Type: Album
Label: Self Released

First off, I have to declare that I am a bit of a saddo “The Crown” completest collector and all round fanboy. Hence, if you have the downright steel cajoles to record a cover version of one of my favourite The Crown tracks of all time, “Executioner…Slayer of the Light”, you’d best be on your a-game, or it’s gonna be ass whoppin’ time here at Metal Team UK towers. Luckily, plucky thrash act Degradation do indeed have the ferrous ballbags to be able to tackle that classic number with aplomb. It’s tackled with a more thrashy vibe than the original, but done with enough reverence to be able to hold its head up with pride.

That baptism of fire under the bridge, what is the rest of this eight track album like? Presented in a sumptuous digipack, (always a plus for an old school reviewer like me), the good news that while it may not exactly be a raging bull of an album, it is at least better than the Judas Priest abortion of the same name. This is thrash metal done the old way, with a razor sharp touch to the riffing, bringing to mind the best moments of Exodus circa “Fabulous Disaster”, with the vocal style that reminds me greatly of the first couple of Death Angel albums. Likewise, while songs such as the self-titled “Juggernaut” are not lacking in swagger or confidence, nor indeed in musical chops, they are a teeny bit lacking in originality. However, as I have said on these very pages before, originality is a dish that can occasionally get stuck in the throat – give me something familiar sounding over something that is new but annoying any day.

At a slender eight tracks, this is going to leave you with the smile on your face before the charm of their traditional thrash gets a chance to wear out. When they get their heads down and let the rampaging riffs do their thing – for instance on the relentless “A Necessary Evil”, they’re at their absolute best, and probably more cutting than most of their peers, including those that have found themselves on record labels. One thing’s for sure, I bet with a cold brew in hand, this would absolutely slay in the live environment. Long story short : I like it.

http://www.myspace.com/degradation666

Chris Davison

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