Upon hearing the name Havok I was able to picture their spiky logo and know somehow what I was in for. This is one of those bands I have never heard before and yet they just seem familiar and I soon realise that it is because their presence on MySpace has spread with more virility than swine flu; comments, banners, “check us out” messages (which are almost 99.9% ignored); you name it they are there and in your face everywhere you turn. One has to question a band that relies too heavily on MySpace, after all it is the beast responsible for bringing us such dross as Job For A Gayboy (oops, did I just say that?). While MySpace has made it far too easy now for mediocre bands to gain more recognition than they deserve, I can hardly deny its value as a marketing tool when used as part of a wider campaign and I’m not going to hold it against Havok for having a page on the oh-so-yesteryear social networking site.
By now I thought labels had bucked the trend of signing thrash bands; seems the best of the bunch have been snapped up though it’s easy to see why these thrashers from Denver, Colorado were top of the list for Candlelight. From the off, this album grabs you by the throat, spin you around and doesn’t let go until the end. Packed full of intoxicating riffs and fast, furious drumming, this is likely to go down a storm with fans of thrash, old and new alike. ‘Path To Nowhere’ launches at you with a guitar sound that is razor-sharp while highlighting the bass nicely making this a truly deadly number, while the bass is equally prominent on ‘Morbid Symmetry’ which has a steady flow and a touch of complexity that has me thinking of Megadeth.
There is some genuine in-your-face aggression within these tracks that really comes across; they seem to have a similar attitude that I have noticed in fellow Yanks Bonded By Blood and I could see this being excellent music to play down the skate park. The musicianship is tight and sparky with plenty of vivre and an accessibility that kind of has me drawing comparisons to Xentrix at their prime. Vocally I am reminded of Schmier; hard edged and yet harmonious with the ability to really let rip on the high notes. This is especially notable on ‘Scabs of Trust’ and towards the end of the album the Destruction influence seems increasingly prominent; a Germanic trace within a Bay Area sound.
There’s nothing complicated about this music; it’s straightforward thrash that makes you want to bang your head and takes little effort to get into. Okay, this is nothing original and I’m not sure it quite matches up with the likes of Bonded By Blood and Gama Bomb debuts, but then music doesn’t have to be unique to be enjoyable and if you’re seeking an instant pick-me-up to get you warmed up for some serious mosh pit action then this is for you.
http://www.myspace.com/havok
http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/
