Search - Havok :: Burn

Well, what can I say?

Eric H | Chicagoland | 08/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I will be frank (even though I am mostly just Eric) when I say that I bought this album when a friend displayed them to me and expressed his desire to purchase this album when he was able to get his hands on some money. So, being the one to ruin things, I bought it before he could; thereby ruining his chances of being the first in our group to have the record.



And it's actually really good.



Now I have been a fan of heavy metal music for some time now, and I have a fairly in depth knowledge of the various bands and musical entities that comprise it, especially in the vain of thrash metal. Normally, I am usually not quite so enthusiastic about the newer wave of thrash metal bands that are currently riding it's wave (Warbringer, Toxic Holocaust, Mantic Ritual, etc), mainly due to my indifference to their lack of originality and creativity - it's mostly just bands tredding old ground that knowledgable metalheads know enough about and do not need to hear once more - there is no need to sail up the Missouri River in search of a coastline, gentleman! Lewis and Clark beat you to it!



Well anyway, Havok is probably the first band in this second wave thrash that I actually like despite, or perhaps in spite, of all the reasons previously stated. This is thrash metal. No messing around, no foolishness, just machine-gun riffs and excessive amounts of pessimism. And it works to the satisfied smile I usually only emit when someone falls down a steep flight of stairs. The songs are greatly composed: clocking in at around 5 minutes, which seems to be the perfect length for most metal songs. The lead work is surprisingly well done, as it is not too shreddy but brings its own creativity to the table. And, unfortunately, the bass mostly gets left in the back of the room. It's there - you hear it - but the attention (as status quo dictates) is left primarily on the guitarists.



The point is that is a really, really good album. I find it oddly compelling despite the lack of broken ground it has. It's music that has been done before, but these guys are so good at it that is seems to no longer matter. Who cares if they aren't innovative? Look at them go!



Normally in my reviews, I try to keep things vague and mysterious as to avoid ruining any surprises that may come in the duration of listening to the album. And this review will not be an exception to that rule. So allow me to leave you with this:



Havok is a modern day thrash band that will kick your audio [...] with riffage from here to there, drums so rhythmic you could practically set your watch to them, and vocals that reminded me of chuck billy and james hetfield being molded into some kind of mutant I call Chames Betfilly. And it works on so many levels.



Bottom Line: Burn is an excellent addition to the experienced thrash fan or the new kid looking for something cool. Buy it."

Is it just me or does it feel like 1987 in here?

Scaryguy1991 | 06/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the most part, good, old fashioned thrash metal died off not far into the '90's, giving way to grunge and groove. There were a handful of bands that attempted to carry the torch into the new millenium but thrash had become an underground genre, a thought that would've been absurd just a few years earlier. In the early 2000's however, the fast, aggressive and downright intense form of metal began making a comeback. The so called "thrash revival" was not really fronted by a single band but was highlighted by the likes of Evile, Warbringer, Bonded By Blood and Municipal Waste.



Somehow, a young band from Colorado missed the list...



Hailing from Denver, the thrash quartet Havok rarely garnered much attention outside of their local fanbase. After releasing a few demos and EP's, the band was finally given the chance they deserved when offered a record deal by Candlelight Records. Enter Burn.



Havok's official debut shows me one thing in particular. All they needed was an opportunity and they would deliver. And they sure as hell did. The album begins with a rather cliche instrumental intro that, while not breaking any ground, is a nice way to ease the listener into the thrashing they are about to receive. Just less than half of the songs on the album are featured on previous Havok releases. They were great then and are even better now. The main riff in The Root of Evil is classic and stands out as one of the best I've heard. Identity Theft contains some solid (and true) lyrics. The Disease and Category of the Dead finally receive the production values they deserved and To Hell sounds great now that it's polished up. Then we have the new songs...



Simply put, Havok's new songs sound amazing. Path to Nowhere and Morbid Symmetry contain brilliant riffs, smart lyrics, blazing leads and even a few bass solos. Scabs of Trust feels slightly progressive and has a definite Iron Maiden feel to it at times. Ivory Tower has an absolutely sick Rob Halford-like high pitched scream at the end and Melting the Mountain oozes Megadeth. Then we have Afterburner. Of course a thrash album is going to contain at least one song about thrash itself, and this is it. The lyrics are fairly standard for such a song but the riffs are insane. Not to mention the mini breakdown towards the end. "Those who don't know, tell them where to... GO! *blistering guitar leads*" This part of the song alone has the power to make me smash my face into sharp objects and beat my head into the steering wheel while driving. Intense.



The vocals are another highlight. David Sanchez doesn't necessarily employ a completely unique style (come on, it's thrash) but his voice does fit the music perfectly. He can sing, shout and belt out screams with the best of 'em, sounding a little like Hetfield at times, a little like Chuck Billy at others. And the best part of it all? He's only going to get better.



So, to make a long review a little longer, if you are a fan of old school (or new school) thrash metal, you need to check this out. Great riffs, intelligent lyrics, flawless musicianship and perfect vocals lace this debut and we can only expect great things from Havok in the future."

Thrashing Like a Maniac................

SMH | NY, USA | 10/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is a reason why real thrashers liked and still like the early eighties speed metal and these boys know how to fire that same cannon. I am 45 years old and this CD had me jumping around my house like the mad man that I only know.



Bottom Line = Super Good Old School Thrash played with Pride and Respect of the style!!!!





Join The Lunatic Parade, JRK"