Two years ago I reviewed this thrash band from Denver, Colorado’s album ‘Time Is Up’. Other than a new bassist in the form of Mike Leon, the line-up of guitarist/vocalist Dave Sanchez, guitarist Reece Scruggs, and drummer Pete Webber remains unchanged, as does their attacking sound.
With little preamble, “I Am The State” plunges head first into their politically charged agenda with Sanchez’s 80s style screamed thrash vocals and both his & Scruggs’ lead trade-offs.
“Give Me Liberty… Or Give Me Death” has me tapping my foot for about 30 seconds, then my head begins to bang along to Webber’s galloping drum beat which accompanied by Leon’s popping bass.
The slightly funky guitar rhythm on “It Is True” has the bass grooving in tempo to the drums while the chorus has a great sing-a-long vibe to it.
The lead on the choppy “Under The Gun” is anything but, as the notes just appear to get higher and higher with blistering speed before the drum tattoo brings things back under control and the guitar rhythm comes back in.
A great guitar rhythm chugs throughout “Waste Of Life” where the vocals are sung and screamed to a secondary guitar melody that is only actually played during the chorus giving an extra auditory layer to listen out for.
Far more straight forward with its aggressively pounded drums and quickly changing rhythm, “Living Nightmare” is no holds barred thrash that shall quickly get a mosh pit churning, while “Chasing The Edge” would calm things down slightly by having everyone wanting to sing along to the chorus as they band their heads.
Initially sounding a little Van Halen ’til the vocals and pounded drums come in, “Worse Than War” maintains its leisurely tempo almost all the way to the end where Webber kicks up a storm on the double-bass.
I’ve heard quite a few versions of Black Sabbath’s “Children Of The Grave” and shall say that this one isn’t bad at all. Sanchez’s vocals are what make this version distinctly Havok’s as musically they don’t stray too far from the original.
Title track “Unnatural Selection” is the final song on the album and a great way to end it too. It’s fast. The high speed tapping on the kick drums is unrelenting, until they start to groove for the lead breaks. The guitars churn out complicated riffs and swap between them flawlessly with the vocals rushing along to carry you to untimely demise.
Excellent old school American thrash metal. Nothing necessarily new here, but then it doesn’t need to be new when it’s this polished and energetic.
(7/10 – Marco Gaminara)
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