The last time we had any musical output from Florida thrashers Intoxicated was 1997’s Metal Neck. Beyond that, there exist four demos recorded in the Nineties, one of which was produced by the one and only Chuck Schuldiner. The band was hired to be the backing band for Andrew WK, after having a mutual friend in Donald Tardy (Obituary). Now, over two decades after their first salvo, the band has reformed, consisting of singer / guitarist Erik Payne, bassist Gregg Roberts, and drummer Mike Radford, and have a new EP Walled. Comprising of six songs of crossover and hardcore-influenced thrash, the comeback record is a banger, a revival of Nineties-era death-informed speed metal.
“Smash the Line” rips in with a hardcore / crossover intro, not to mention a change of pace from growled, almost talk-sung vocals, into gruesome death growls at a moment’s notice. The tempo turns on a dime as well, but stays true to the thrash it celebrates and emanates every moment it can. The title track barrels in with tremolo picking galore, feeling a bit more death metal than its predecessor, before verse riffing coaxes it back into classic thrash country. “Grab the Rope” starts off a bit slower than the previous two tracks, but goes right into circle pit chaos before long, ping-ponging back and forth between these two gears to get the most mileage out of the track.
Chugging riffs and a mid-tempo, fist-pumping pace are the M.O. for “Hell’s Reward.” The way the chorus bounces back and forth between heavy sludge and blast beat bastarddom is commendable, as it again keeps things fresh. “Stuck in Mode” brings the blast beats at the start of the party, promising to open up the pit from moment one. Of everything on the album, this sounds the most hellish, the most classic thrash and death of anything on here, and the whole affair is sent off with some fun drum fills during the closing breakdown. The drums go even harder and wilder in the closing “Yuck,” as the guitar flourishes and licks make this feel a bit more influenced by the late Schuldiner.
Thrash may not be as in the zeitgeist as it was in Intoxicated’s original run, but hell if they know that. This is a great example of death-flavored thrash metal that manages to stay interesting throughout its all too brief runtime of about twenty minutes. It’s fast, it’s loud, it’s a bit obnoxious, but damn if it isn’t fun the whole time as well.
Walled is available now via Seeing Red Records.
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