HAVOK
V – Century Media Records
Ferocious fourpiece, Colorado’s finest thrashers HAVOK, don’t just blow the cobwebs away. It’s fair to say they take the whole spider-sullied building down with them. Then set the rubble alight. Then nuke any remaining debris. You get the picture. HAVOK push their instruments to the limit. And put innocent people within a two mile radius of anyone playing ‘V’ in danger of being caught in some serious headbanging and (socially distanced) moshing. It’s a heavy package of hefty riffs, sonic shredding and pummelling drums. And here’s the thing – the lyrics are meaningful and audible. ‘Fear Campaign’, ‘Betrayed By Technology’ … poignant. ‘V’ is fast, loud and fierce. It’s intelligent, it’s relevant and is a credit to its creators. HAVOK are stalwarts of the thrash scene, and this record could well see them dominate it.
Review by Jo Wright