Artist: Mosfet
Title: Deathlike Thrash ‘N’ Roll
Type: Album
Label: Refused Records

Just in case there was any confusion as to what one could expect from this album, Mosfet have helpfully given the album a name that sums up their style pretty accurately. I do occasionally have a moan at bands who use genre references in album and song titles (you know, thrashoholic this and heavy metal thunder blah blah), as to me it lacks imagination and as a listener I don’t need to be reminded every two minutes what I am listening to. A good band lets the music do the talking. But occasionally it offers a kind of straightforward, no-nonsense openness that does the job, so to speak. Hell, who can fault the simplicity of Venom’s ‘Black Metal’, and what a legacy that came of that appellation?

And ‘Deathlike Thrash ‘N’ Roll’ pretty much does what it says on the tin, and while a title like ‘Tales Of A Diarrhoea Werewolf’ would be far more entertaining, at least the former gets straight to the point. I can guess that Mosfet take quite a heavy influence from European thrash veterans like Destruction and Kreator, with some assassinating thrash riffs on ‘Thrash Assassination’ and ‘Sativaville’ which has a real old school feel and comes at you with the speed of a bullet. This has a darker vibe that pushes into deathly terrain and compliments the gruff vocals of Phillipp Essl.

Mosfet certainly lay down a heavy, meaty slab of metal, with plenty of power and aggression being released through these 13 tracks. Melodies are doled out with a mean swagger and a rock n’ roll attitude. Heartfelt love song (yeh right) ‘Pigheaded Bitch’ begins with a most amusing pig squeal to compliment the title, before rattling through with relentless, pounding drums, deathly guitars and a redneck rage fuelled by liquor, even welding in a guitar solo with so much sleaze they should have Rupert Murdoch pricking his ears up. Vocally this brings to mind Max Cavellera, and throughout the album there are moments when I think of older Sepultura and even British boys Seregon. It has that primitiveness that makes you want to beat your chest and belch loudly after chugging back a six-pack. ‘Angel’s Piss And Devil’s Jism’ has something of a whiskey-soaked flavour (I’m getting drunk just writing this review), and ‘A Rowdy’s Warfare’ has rollicking mid-paced groove while maintaining its heaviness. ‘Interfred’ offers a brief foot-tappin’ bluegrass banjo solo that pulls the strings to release ‘My Puppet’ which do-si-does at a rattling speed. The vocals here are quite menacing.

This is a highly competent, well produced album from a band with much more to offer than the average bunch of thrashers. Lively, fun and aggressive with a dark, deathly feel, and the bluesy rock tinges are a nice touch. A good start to 2012.

http://www.mosfet.at

Luci Herbert

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