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LAAZ ROCKIT - LEFT FOR DEAD (2008)
Classic thrash metal band Laaz Rockit returned for another round of good ol' thrash metal. Coons, Jellum, Kettner and Lange has all returned for this album, the only new member in the lineup is drummer Sky Harris.
The album Left for dead has unfortunately a few flaws. The production disturbs me, at times it sounds noisy and muffled, especially on Michael Coons vocals, but when the band plays acoustic guitars, everything clears up and the vocals doesn't sound compressed anymore.
The music itself is at times promising, it doesn't sound like the band was gone for a day when you listen to it, if you can avoid thinking of that production. Laaz Rockit manages to give me a few early nineties Testament-vibes, but with a different vocalist. Laaz Rockit has lost some tempo and have recorded a bunch of mid-tempo thrashers here. I like the top-notch guitar soloing and new drummer Sky Harris does a good job. But there are major flaws here too, the modern elements in their music, Typical groove metal posturing can be heard troughout the record. It's been a few years since they released this album now and I hope they'll record a follow-up because I think if they found the right producer I think the band finally can get the audience and sound they deserve.
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LAAZ ROCKIT - NOTHING$ $ACRED (1991) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)
Bay area heroes Lääz Rockit got thrashier and thrashier throghout their career. By 1991, as their last studio album "Nothings Sacred" emerged, the thing was done. Lääz Rockit was thrashier, and perhaps better than ever before. To me, this is a pure classic in the history of thrash metal. Everything is here - the songs (all ten of them), the crunch, the heaviness, the speed, the instrumentation and the vocals.
Naming favourite cuts is actually pointless, since they all are so great, but opening trio "In the Name of the Father and the Gun", "Into the Asylum" and "Greed Machine" stands out, as well as "The Enemy Within". Soundwise, for you who wonder, this is pure Bay area thrash metal, in the vein of early Metallica, Megadeth or Testament. Hell, not even my twisted brain can come up with a reasonable excuse for not owning this album, other than that you haven’t been able to find it yet.
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LAAZ ROCKIT - ANNIHILATION PRINCIPLE (1989)
Annihilation principle was Bay area thrashers Lääz Rockit's last album with the original lineup of Coons, Jellum, Kettner, Lange and Agnello. This album was released in 1989 on EMI Music. Laaz Rockit had developed into one of Bay areas most respected bands by now. Laaz Rockit handles both speedy thrash parts and harmonic melodies with grace. Michael Coons voice works out well in the thrashier parts. Their ability to thrash is very well displayed in "Fire in the hole", the Dead Kennedy's cover "Holiday in Cambodia" and in the frantic "Chasin' Charlie".
Lääz Rockit's sound can be described as a faster version of Anthrax if you add some Nuclear Assault and early Testament-vibes. Lääz Rockit released great albums, one after another except maybe their 1985-release "No stranger to danger". Annihilation Principle is one of their best efforts if not the the best. This album isn't impossible to find, at least not on LP. My advice to you are: Go out and snap this one up today!
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LAAZ ROCKIT - KNOW YOUR ENEMY (1987) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)
On their third album "Know Your Enemy" bay area unit Lääz Rockit cranked up the crunch and decided to go for thrash metal. That was a wise decision, because Lääz Rockit is one of my all time favourite bands in thrash metal.
They also succeded to put some emotion into the songs. Tracks like "Euroshima" and "Means to and End" are haunting and sends shivers down my spine, while cuts like "Last Breath" and "Most Dangerous Game" is thrash annihilation at it's best.
Outstanding vocals also, as always from this band and it's microphone man Michael Coons. Well, not a whole lot more to say actually, other than that Lääz Rockit is a great band and that "Know Your Enemy" is a real nice treat for any fan of the bay area crunch.
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LAAZ ROCKIT - NO STRANGER TO DANGER (1985)
No Stranger to danger is some kind of hybrid between their early power metal ways combined with a touch of Mötley Crüe and some minor thrash tendencies. I think their debut promised more than this, the debut "City's gonna burn" was a great power metal album of the old american school. So it's a bit confusing to see the band go into a more melodic and commercial direction on their second album.
The problem I have with "No Stranger to danger" is that it's too catchy and those bubblegum-pop choruses doesn't do it for me. Singer Michael Coons versatile voice isn't what it later developed into. The production is weak and it is without a doubt their low point in their careers."No Stranger to Danger" is often called their worst album and I can agree with that. But I still rather listen to this album than all those new groove-inflicted modern thrash metal records. At least there are a few Judas Priest-like parts on this album that can bring your head into banging-mode. But let's not fool ourselves here. This is hardly a thrash metal album and I can't recommend this album to anyone interested in thrash metal. The best of Laaz Rockit is yet to come.
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LAAZ ROCKIT - CITY'S GONNA BURN (1984)
The Bay area-rockers Lääz Rockit's debut album was released as early as in 1984. Though not fully developed into the thrash machine that they later became on their third release titled "Know Your Enemy".
The song "Caught in the act" is a real underground metal classic and who can listen to "Take no prisoners" without banging the head til the neck gets stiff. City's Gonna Burn has a driving galloping rhythm and the style is quite simplistic. Except on some songs like "Dead man's eyes" with it's melodic parts. The production is typical for the time without being annoying. Laaz Rockit never got the attention that they deserved and especially this album that are so full of energy that all fans of the thrash genres earlier days must have. A sadly overlooked album by one of the genres most ignored bands. As a metal album this is four out of five, but as this is a thrash metal site I can't recommend it that high because there are so few thrashing moments on this album so I'll give it three and a half stars.
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LAWNMOWER DETH - OOH CRIKEY IT'S... (1990)
I knew that Lawnmower Deth was a humorous crossover band but I never really listened to them before I took the time to write this review. I want my metal serious and I'm not the biggest crossover fan out there even if I can listen to at times, So Lawnmower Deth wasn't on top of my priority list even if I've heard their name here and there.
The reason why I decided to give them a chance was because I saw this album as number six on worshipmetal.com's top ten list over the best old school UK thrash metal albums. For those who have never heard Lawnmower Deth they are a crossover band and they sound like a mix between S.O.D., Gwar and Dead Kennedys. The songs are humorous allright I even laughed while listening to this album. Ooh Crikey it's... Lawnmower Deth has no real serious moments, so you better be up for a good laugh or this is probably nothing for you. I guess having a good time and recording an album in a day or two was fun for the band and I guess having fun were their biggest reason to record this album. Because I have a hard time comparing this to the stuff I usually listen to.
Ooh Crikey it's... Lawnmower Deth is a rather bizarre album, they don't stick to any usual conventions. They do whatever feels fun at the moment and the lyrics is rather funny. But as a thrash metal album I think that Lawnmower Deth is of no bigger importance. The album was for a long time out-of-print but is now available again on vinyl, CD and digital download through Earache Records.
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LIVING DEATH - KILLING IN ACTION (1991) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)
After the poorly acclaimed "Worlds Neuroses" vocalist Thorsten Bergmann left Living Death and it appeared as if they where calling it a day. However, our German friends hadn't had enough of the thrash and returned with a new singer and the album "Killing in Action" in 1991. On this album Living Death returns to their classic style, yet they sound less sloppy and somewhat more mature than on their early works.
New singer Gerhard Thelen sounds very much like Thorsten, although with a slightly thicker voice, and fits in like a glove. Quality-wise this is no "Metal Revolution", as there are no songs that shine brighter than the other, but the material is solid Living Death throughout. This was the last statement of Living Death and is recommended to fans of the group or teutonic thrash in general.
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LIVING DEATH - PROTECTED FROM REALITY (1987) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)
On this 1987 release we see Living Death go darker, heavier and thrashier all in the same move. The guitar sound is more downtuned and the whole album has a moody feel to it. "Protected From Reality" is also their fastest album next to the mini LP "Back to the Weapons". Many hold this as their favourite Living Death-release, but I must admit that it has never affected me that way. I like the album, but it's nowhere near "Metal Revolution" in quality. As we all know singer Thorsten Bergmann has a very special style. On this one he sometimes goes over the edge with his screechy yelling and shouting.
Anyway, "Horrible Solution", "Intruder" and the instrumental "Wood of Necrophiliac" would be my favourite choices from this one, and if you like your thrash metal dark and rough, this one is for you. "Protected From Reality" is worth owning, but I suggest that you go for "Metal Revolution" if you haven't heard the band before.
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LIVING DEATH - METAL REVOLUTION (1985) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)
German thrash-squadron Living Death where something like European pioneers of thrash metal, as they debuted in 1984, prior to all of their more famous countrymen. They reached their peak with this, their second album, "Metal Revolution" in 1985. Living Death always played a very characteristic and original kind of thrash - screechy and kind of sloppy, with biting riffs and howling solos. On "Metal Revolution" that sound is perfected and adapted into eight killer tracks.
Among the highlights we see "Grippin' a Heart", "Road of Destiny" and the fist pumping-hymn "Rulers Must Come". I know that some people get annoyed by Thorsten Bergmanns high and screechy vocals, but his voice suits Living Death's style perfectly, especially on this release. And hell, in the chorus of the killer song "Shadow of the Dawn" he shows that he actually CAN sing. Although this maybe not literally was the revolution of metal - it is still classic thrash metal and one for the history books.
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LIVING DEATH - VENGEANCE OF HELL (1984)
In 1984 Living Death wrote history by releasing the very first german full-length thrash metal album. Sometimes they sound like a cheap Metallica-clone. But I like those bands that didn't try to create thrash metal more advanced than it needs to be. This album is recognized as a cult album by a few and some people say that this is one of Living Death's worst moments. But I belong to the first group of people that actually likes Vengeance of hell. This album has been re-released and remastered lately so it is available on CD. I guess that the members of Living Death have listened a lot to Metallica and Accept because their music is somewhere in between, bordering more to early Metallica on the instruments. Not so very far away from Lääz Rockit's debut "City's gonna burn" in style.
The vocalist Thorsten Bergmann has one of thrash metal's most personal voices, based in a typical heavy metal-style he is most recognized for his whining type of singing. The production is raw and unpolished, it's sounding almost like a recorded rehearsal. Metallica-clone or not, this is what metal should sound like.
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