THRUST - Reincarnation

May 20, 2015, 8 years ago

(Metal Blade)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 6.0

review heavy metal thrust

THRUST - Reincarnation

Anyone of a certain age knows the infamous, raspy high pitched screams of “Poseurs Will Die”, by '80s Chicago proto-thrashers Thrust. Well, as part of the band's 35th Anniversary, they're releasing the original Fist Held High album, alongside this never-issued studio album, plus a collection of demos of known and unknown origin: 17 songs all told, plus the 4:15, muffled/bootleg quality “Intensity” instrumental. Although inferior aural quality (gathering dust for decades and probably gleaned from old, rehearsal cassettes), at least the demo material recreates the violence tinged lyrics and speedy guitar histrionics on that age-old platter. Primitive versions of "No Mercy", tape hissing "Evil Redeemer", "Psycho Killer" (not the Talking Heads song) and headbanging "Back On The Street" deserve an approving fist thrust aloft.

Listening with hopes of re-discovering some vintage US Midwestern Eighties metal, it quickly becomes obvious why the Bruce Kulick produced material never saw the light of day, before now. Poorly sung and mid-tempo (at best) it's not faithful to the original moniker. Surprisingly, “God Only Knows” is a clean (electrified acoustic?) guitar ballad, which I'm guessing was written during the early Nineties, during the MTV approved insanity. After the debut, guitarist Ron Cooke moved to LA and continued playing as Thrust. Minus the grit, "Never Too Young" has a hint of Sunset Strip swagger in it. Ditto the ride cymbal bashing "Get Crazy". Title even sounds like a glam party anthem and is basically the amalgamation of Wrathchild UK meets Beastie Boys "Fight For the Right (To Party)". While a tune called "Cheater" held the potential of yesteryear's glory, of the professional recorded material, only the Metal Church styled crunch of a bass rumbling "Scream Girl Scream" and punk fueled "War" come close. Shame no one invested in updating those old basement tapes, as that's what Thrust fans really want to hear.



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