ALBUM REVIEW: V – Havok
Whether you’re a fan or not of the thrash resurgence of recent years, one thing for sure is that there’s some serious talent out there and while they don’t shy away from wearing their influences on their sleeves, they also bring their own fire and drive to a genre that has been in great need of a fresh coat of paint. Among those bands vying for the crown that a youthful METALLICA, MEGADETH or TESTAMENT would have worn many years prior are Denver’s furious four-piece HAVOK – arguably one of the most exciting and consistent bands to emerge from the thrash revival. It wasn’t until their sophomore effort Time Is Up that the band really blew up and broke through that barrier of being just another classic sounding thrash act. HAVOK continued this onslaught over the next two albums Unnatural Selection and Conformicide, however, the latter in particular seemed a little unfocused and lacked the precision attack of Time is Up. Thankfully on their latest beast, V, Havok has trimmed the fat and created an album worthy of their place upon the top of the thrash resurgence hill.
Still unafraid to show their admiration for their heroes they open with an ode to METALLICA’s Blackened intro with Post-Truth Era. You could be mistaken into thinking you’ve put on …And Justice For All until you can hear the clear punch of the bass tones from new man Brandon Bruce. Unlike the bass on previous record Conformicide, his tones cut through perfectly without being overtly abrasive and it’s always so refreshing to hear the full-throttle pummelling so audibly on a thrash album.
Riffs are always the key ingredient to a thrash opus and HAVOK have had no issues with piling them on throughout their career and show no signs of slacking in that department on V. Fear Campaign smashes through at a blistering pace with solos peppered throughout as lead man David Sanchez venomously spits along with the gang vocals. His vocals are akin to the likes of Chuck Schuldiner and Trevor Strnad with a high pitched shriek that pierces without being overbearing and compliments the guitar attack and adrenaline-inducing drumming, which is a lot beefier than previously heard thanks to the stellar mix by Mark Lewis.
A stabbing guitar riff opens up the futuristic undertones of Betrayed By Technology, which is home to one of V‘s catchiest chorus lines and a rhythm section that rumbles with force and purpose. Interface with the Infinite feels like it’s brother in the sense that there are similar themes and hard-hitting precision strike riffage. It also opens with a tapping section that is a welcome addition and makes its presence felt within the body of the track.
A short interlude follows with Dab Tsog, which is an interesting respite from the onslaught of the first half of the album. It’s almost eerie and unsettling in its tone that fits the title quite well. While the band tend to stick with the thrash formula on most of the tracks, on the second half of V they seem to be a little more open to experimenting on Panpsychism and closer Don’t Do It, they expand on the instrumental sections and let the tracks breathe a little bit more. These also feature some clean vocals that work well for the most part and show that HAVOK are capable of switching things up and it’s going to be fascinating to see if they take this further into future releases. It’s a slightly more mid-tempo track until it hurls one last barrage at you until the album draws to a close.
V was coined to be HAVOK‘s Rust In Peace moment and while it doesn’t quite reach those lofty heights, it is a modern-day classic that showcases the band’s talent for keeping alive the thrash sound. It’s a shorter album that is more condensed and shows off a more focused band, sharper and even more driven than before. The new era of thrash is truly here to stay and HAVOK are flying the flag.
Rating: 9/10
V is set for release May 1st via Century Media Records.
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