WASTELANDER
"Wardrive" (Planet Metal; 2008)
Reviewed by Metal Mark
The press release on this album reads like the introduction for some bad 1980s post apocalyptic film. The pictures of the band members show them posed with bullet belts, cheap beer and lots of metal albums from the past. The music indeed reflects their love of mid-80s thrash and even a touch of some old hardcore as well. It's immediately apparent that this band grew up on a diet of Venom, Hellhammer, early Celtic Frost, English Dogs, Bathory and VoiVod. Even the production has that same underdone sound of Metal Blade and Combat records releases done between 1984 and 1987.
The sound here is low and heavy with lots of chugging riffs and a vocal style similar to Tom G. Warrior. They waste little time and just plow through their fairly short songs. I grew up on a lot of these same bands so I took to this album quickly despite the lack of originality. It comes across like a blast from the past where I remember listening to these new bands that seemed so heavy back then. It was more about power and aggression than style and perfect production values.
Wastelander have tapped into that mentality and more importantly they connected with that bone-crunching sound. This is simple and has been done, but they rip into the material like they mean it and that ferocity comes across in their music. So put on your favorite faded black thrash band shirt, sit back and take in the dirty, raw sounds of Wastelander.
For more information, check out http://www.myspace.com/thewastelander.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2009 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
04 Dec 2023 22:19:33 -0500.
