In the last couple of years, Havok are one of the bands that
have catapulted to the top of the thrash scene. Though they are not as
commercially successful as bands like Evile, Warbringer, or even Vektor, they
are making music that is just as strong. It was really their second record,
“Time Is Up” that was a brilliant thrashing force that obliterated nearly every
other thrash record of 2011. The recent EP was a disappointment for me, and
many other fans, but it’s safe to say that the band is back on track with their
third full-length album, “Unnatural Selection”.
From the opening track, “I Am The State”, the riffs begin,
and from that point on, they never really stop. There’s little originality to
the riffing style, but it doesn’t matter, as they are furious headbang-inducing
riffs. The second track “Give Me Liberty…Or Give Me Death” keeps up the pace
with it’s seemingly government hating lyrics. This track really emphasizes the
brilliance of the drum sound and how pummeling the bass drums are. The band
displays a tight rhythm attack, between the buzzing guitars and bass that is
consistently heard throughout the track. Gang vocals are in full effect on this
song, as well as on many others, and Havok does them as well as any other band
out there. Lead singer David Sanchez seems to have settled into an even better
vocal performance than before. His singing feels like less of an attacking shout,
and more of a controlled singing approach. The guitars have a classic tone that
is best appreciated when they are chugging; many parts of “It Is True” display
this Exodus-like tone. In terms of the songwriting, there are definite highs.
The aforementioned first two tracks, along with the closing title track are the
most interesting. Most of the others tend to be enjoyable, but not up there
with Havok classics like “D.O.A.” or “Fatal Intervention”. "Under the Gun" is really experimental for Havok. There are clear breaks in the verses for the vocals to shine, and one part of the chorus is pulled straight from Sebastian Bach's (Skid Row) style of singing. Nonetheless, the
only true weak song on this record is the slower, plodding “Waste of Life”. Coming
from a band like Havok that is all about intensity, it just doesn’t work as
well as it would for a band like Evile. Likewise, the cover of “Children of the
Grave” is somewhat out of place. It’s a great song in its own right, and Havok
doesn’t do a bad job of covering, but it doesn’t really fit on this record. In general, you can never really go wrong with adding speedier songs to a thrash record, and I think that is an issue some fans may have with this album.
Aside from those two criticisms, this really is a worthwhile
album. The thrash revival is all about riffs, and Havok brings them better than
the vast majority of bands out there. There’s a bit of straying off the path at
times (the unnecessarily long drum solo in the opener, for example), but “Unnatural
Selection” shows there’s still quite a bit of life left from the new thrash
bands.
Highlights
"I Am The State"
"Give Me Liberty... Or Give Me Death"
"Unnatural Selection"
Final Rating
4.1/5 or 82%.