Despite the dwindling popularity of thrash
metal over the past 5 years, one of the few bands that is still carrying the
torch is Colorado’s Havok. This band’s popularity seems to grow exponentially
with each release, which is a curious outcome given that “Time Is Up” is widely
hailed as their masterpiece. Nevertheless, the band has returned with their
fourth full-length: “Conformicide”. Once again, it has received far more hype
than its predecessor, and this time, it is more than deserved!
The obvious topic of discussion for this
album is its unavoidably overt lyrics. Every track on this release bashes you
over the head with messages encouraging you to “Wake Up” to see the truth. It’s
clear why “Conformicide” has turned Havok into a love/hate band: if you agree
with their message, it’s easy to get into, and if not, it comes across as
annoying and distracts from the music. As someone that doesn’t care to get
political very often, “Conformicide” surprisingly doesn’t bother me at all.
This is no different from a modern version of Megadeth. Whether or not you
agree with David Sanchez’ messages, one can’t help but appreciate the
conviction with which he delivers them.
The vocals on this album are one area where
Havok has changed significantly. Sanchez used to employ a slightly cartoony
Dave Mustaine-esque voice that was overflowing with attitude. While this
character is still present on “Conformicide”, Sanchez now spends much of the
album screaming his lungs out, leaning more towards a band like Kreator. Though
this actually makes the singing on this record less unique than in the past, it
is appropriate given how angry the lyrics are. A track like “Hang ‘em High” or
especially “F.P.C.” can only deliver its most vitriol moments effectively with
this sort of aggression.
If you’re a stereotypical thrasher, neither
the lyrics nor the vocals probably matter that much to you. What is important,
is the quality of the riffing. Make no mistake, “Conformicide” is a huge step
up from “Unnatural Selection”. The prior record’s biggest problem was that
there were really only 3 fast songs, and most of Havok’s mid-paced riffs
weren’t all that thrilling. “Conformicide” show the band reinventing themselves
in a more technical and daring direction. Megadeth is once again a good point
of comparison, but some tracks like “Ingsoc” show influence from bands that are
distinctly tech-thrash.
Additionally, even though a lot of the
songs on this album have their mid-paced moments, they tend to vary tempos
quite often. “Dogmaniacal”, for example, has some slow chugging at the start of
its verses, but quickly explodes into a speedy, punk-influenced riff. “Intention
To Deceive” has perhaps the most effective tempo change, as all hell starts to
break loose once the band hits warp speed. Other tracks like “Wake Up” feed off
the energy of drummer Pete Webber to remain interesting. This song is dominated
by a catchy, albeit not exceedingly thrashy riff, but it is the constant rolling double-bass assault of Webber that keeps it driving forward.
The rhythm section as a whole is a major
factor in making “Conformicide” sound so tight. There are several moments on
the album where Sanchez will yell out a quick word or two, and the band breaks
into an absolute frenzy. The drum tone on this record is unparalleled, and any
time that Webber starts abusing his ride cymbal atop a healthy dose of double
bass, Havok creates thrash magic. Complementing the tightness of the drums is
one of the greatest bass performances thrash has ever seen. Some might find the
bass playing too busy, but the slapping, popping sounds of new bassist Nick
Schendzielos truly add a unique dimension to Havok’s sound. He shines on pretty
much ever track, and allows the band to groove without dumbing down their
riffs.
“Conformicide” is far more than just four
musicians showing off. It also has some of the band’s strongest songs in a long
time. As always, Havok is at their best when they’re playing fast, and for this
reason, the frenetic “Masterplan” is one of the standout tracks. This song
shows absolute mastery of how to implement gang vocals in thrash, as the band
continually screams out “War, famine, death, disease” in an undeniably catchy
manner. The band’s attention to detail is impressive, as after repeating this
three times, the fourth set of screams is altered slightly as the music uses
triplets to add an extra syllable (“War, famine, death and disease”) and build a more crushing chorus. It is these types
of subtleties that are spread throughout the record, and make it a compelling
listen time and time again.
Though this is a stellar thrash offering,
it is not without its flaws. The most obvious weakness is the sheer length of
it. With the bonus tracks, it exceeds an hour. The biggest reason for this is
that many of these tracks have 1-2 minute intros before things truly kick
off. Some pull this off more effectively than others, but several of them
(including the one in the aforementioned “Masterplan”) add little value. Perhaps
more glaring is the fact that there are a few tracks that don’t quite stand up
against the rest of the material. Each of “Peace Is In Pieces”, “Circling the
Drain”, and the Pantera cover “Slaughtered” don’t present anything particularly
unique or memorable. If you cut these three tracks, “Conformicide” suddenly
becomes an unbeatable 45-minute record that closes with the obligatory hilarious
goofy-thrash track “String Break”.
The greatest strength of “Conformicide” is
its sheer authenticity. Though you might not like the band’s message, the
blatancy of Havok’s lyrics really doesn’t feel all that different from Nuclear
Assault, Megadeth, or any other number of politically motivated bands. The
album shows four musicians who are looking to push the boundaries of their
abilities are far as possible, while still staying true to the roots of thrash,
and they have succeeded. Sure, there might be a bit of filler, but it is easy
to see why this record has attracted so much attention. When all is said and
done, “Time Is Up” will likely be remembered as Havok’s masterpiece, but “Conformicide”
is the record that will propel the band to thrash supremacy!
Highlights
"F.P.C."
"Hang 'em High"
"Masterplan"
"Wake Up"
Final Rating
4.6/5 or 92%.
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