When it comes to crossover, historically there seems to have been two approaches. Punks who beef up the riffs and get more metal or metallers who speed up the verses and get more hardcore. I usually preferred the former.
Solanum from Winnipeg Manitoba appear to be the latter coming across as more Municipal Waste than D.R.I . The production on I.T.S.C (it stands for Into The Sinners Circle – fact fans) is pretty raw which leaves the vocals sounding a little muddy in places but it also gives it a raw feel which reminds me of old tape trading days which makes me smile. This is Solanum’s debut release having formed in 2013 and releasing a demo and two singles since then.
“P.T.S.D” kicks this 7 track collection off with a riff that would not sound out of place on Hell Awaits. Cam McFee spits out the lyrics at machine pace spraying testosterone filled bullets at the ears of innocent bystanders. By the time the track has come to an end it has descended into a whirling swirling mosh pit anthem. “Homicide Suicide” that follows keeps up the pace and hits like early S.T. Pure skate core with a dirty rumbling bass provided by Mike Menza.
What is surprising about Solanum is the length of their songs. None are under 4 minutes with the title track clocking in at 7 mins! Each one sounds like a burst of angry energy and then the intensity holds, and holds……and holds.
“Strangled Disease” opens with a bass intro that brought to mind “Civilized Man” Shelter’s vegan anthem. Any such thoughts are swept away as Leeroy Shodine manic riffing begins again. This song sounds messy…by design. Mad hardcore drum patterns, spiralling bass lines that disappear and a gigantic mosh part towards the end. Proper crossover!
The Morse code at the beginning of “Symptoms of Solanum” ushers in an old skool thrasher that owes a great debt to Sacred Reich but goes a long way to paying it off with its effervescent raging riffs.
The title track feels a little overblown with two minutes of chuggy instrumental before we get back into the slamming. That kind of intro works well on a Testament record but I want pure adrenalin fuelled chaos please. This track is my least favourite on the album. Cam sounds strained in his vocal delivery and the energy seems to dissipate amongst the very metal riffs.
“Narcotic Collapse” offers anything but. It is a shot in the arm. From a syringe filled with NYHC and Sotuh Cali thrash. “Beg For Your Life” book ends the album and sees Mike Menza’s four strings sounding like Frank Bello on Among the Living whilst the rest of the band rush to catch up. I started the review discussing origins for crossover musicians. Maybe these guys are something new. Young guys who have grown up with crossover and see that as a third way.
What Solanum have got right is keeping all the riffs and chug and big mosh parts whilst filtering out most of the cheese and irony that much of the new wave of Thrash got bogged down in in recent years. This is not dayglo radioactive beer metal. This is music for the pit.
(8/10 Matt Mason)
https://www.facebook.com/solanum.crossover
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