ALBUM REVIEW: 666-Pack – Insanity Alert

Whether you’re a party animal or a straight edge kid, the power of thrash is difficult to resist. The raging riffs, the blitzing drums and the intense vocals all make for a powerful musical combination, and one that has been refined and perfected over the years. INSANITY ALERT have been relative newcomers to the thrash scene, but now settled into their career the band are set to release their third album 666-Pack and it is certainly a thrashing in more than one way.

Opening to a symphony of beer cans cracking, the band move from the opening track into The Body of The Christ Is The Parasite, a song that actually shows the band to be capable of writing lyrical content that goes further than just the topic of partying and not caring. The song possesses a great half step groove that also goes a long way to show the band to be effective musicians, as the slow in pace is incredibly effective at getting feet tapping and heads violently banging. The pace isn’t dropped either, as All Mosh / No Brain simply erupts into chaos and passes the baton with ease to Cobra Commander.

The fun that emanates from 666-Pack is undeniable, and for those who enjoy their thrash taken with a mountain of salt, then INSANITY ALERT are perfect for you. There is of course the classic case of vapidity, and how one note a lot of the tracks can be, not just on this album, but across the INSANITY ALERT career. The Two Joints cover is definitely fun, but after one listen the song begins to lose its charm as it lacks any real hook apart from the joke factor. That said, I Come / I Fuck Shit Up / I Leave perfectly encapsulates the no-fucks-given attitude that thrash has always boasted, and this is where INSANITY ALERT truly shine.

There are some songs that are pointless though. The Ballad of Slayer has potential in concept, but it’s just three seconds of that SLAYER riff that just makes you want to turn off and go listen to the godfathers themselves instead. StopSlammerTime works as a real eight second speed bump to all the fun and 8 Bit Brutality isn’t brutal in the slightest and is so short it just seems to be more of an inside joke that anything else. There is nothing wrong with not taking yourself seriously, as most of 666-Pack displays, but there is a definitely line that is crossed more than once on the album.

By the end of the whole album, there isn’t a lot to take home apart from the overwhelming feeling of wanting to smash back a multi pack of beer and party hard. INSANITY ALERT have become experts in crafting immense and blistering fun that translates incredibly well to the stage, but for the thrash fan pining for something as serious as SODOM, look elsewhere, as you won’t find that here. Instead you’ll just find enough riffs for a good time and right little boogie.

Rating: 7/10

666-pack is set for release on January 25th via Season of Mist. 

For more information on INSANITY ALERT like their official page on Facebook.