Havok

Album Title: Unnatural Selection
Record Label: Candlelight Records
Review by Sal Serio
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Havok - Unnatural SelectionHavok - Unnatural Selection

The Dictionary defines havoc as “great destruction or devastation; ruinous damage”, but they have no description of Havok, so I’ll try to sum them up as “ultra thrash, with as much in common with hardcore punk as with metal”. ‘Unnatural Selection’s first track “I Am The State” proves the point with political critique, complete with a blistering lead guitar solo, surprisingly followed by a drum break more akin to a Ramones song than your typical double bass drum metallic attack.

Much of the compositional elements harken back to an early Megadeth vibe, when Mustaine and company were still snotty, bull-headed, and generally full of piss and vinegar. Jackhammer rhythm guitar riffing and no-nonsense you-damn-well-better-take-me-seriously vocal proclamations are delivered, again, in more of an 80s punk styling.

One obvious quality that sets this recording apart from any 80s punk or metal release is the excellent sound and production values. These ten ripping thrash songs go down extremely well through headphones, and they also perform righteously cranked to 11 on a home or car stereo system. Also of note, the obligatory Sabbath cover, in this instance “Children Of The Grave”, retains the ominous doom of the original, yet gives this new version a more updated aural experience thanks to the superb studio engineering.

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