MUNICIPAL WASTE’S MASSIVE AGGRESSIVE: BECAUSE THRASH WASN’T JUST INVENTED… YOU JUST WEREN’T BORN YET
Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 3:30pm by Bob Cock
At this point in time, unless you’ve lived in a cave for the past few years, you know that Municipal Waste’s previous three albums (and an EP) have been steeped in thrash, beer, and partying… in no particular order. In that brief time, Municipal Waste’s impending retro-thrash throwback almost single-handedly inspired a plethora of seventeen year-old kids to buy Reeboks and shamelessly – and unfortunately – unintelligently “borrow” Kreator, Exodus, and D.R.I. riffs coupled with an emphasis on party-centric lyrics and sharp, speedy riffs.
To The Waste’s credit, though, they’re one of the few bands that manages to bring something new to the table on a consistent basis. Over the course of the band’s brief history, Municipal Waste has shown evolution and gradual, albeit slight, updates and innovations to their sound, culminating in Massive Aggressive, which – as cheesy and clichéd as it is dub it this – is probably the band’s most mature offering to date.
Guitar solos are few and far between, and certainly not the stars of the show on Massive Aggressive, lending the album’s sound more to the mid-80s crossover scene than the late 80s thrash image The Waste perpetuates. But the music’s shining star is really the slick, and somehow skillfully technical, riffing from Ryan Waste, which gallops in tandem with Landphil’s clunking (and thankfully noticeable!) bass, alongside Dave Witte’s drumming. In whole, “Relentless Talent” showcases everyone’s musicianship beyond the party-thrash image the band continually pushes, and
the tongue-in-cheek jokes are kept in the back pocket – sans “Horny For Blood” and some of the lyrics scattered throughout – in favor of breakneck speed and musicianship, Tony Foresta’s monotone bark, a slathering of gang vocal choruses and quick tempos. Heck, Municipal Waste even throws in some mid-paced, chunky down-picking and modest tempos, lending Massive Aggressive a favor in being able to distinguish one song from another. (Note to those just strapping on those Reeboks: It doesn’t ALWAYS have to be played as fast as you can go…)
Meanwhile, the riffs on “Masked By Delirium” help shed the retro-thrash image Municipal Waste could be credited with almost resurrecting, while the title track plods along in thrash-groove territory that would make Exodus proud. “Wolves of Chernobyl” and “Wrong Answer” are the standard just-over-two-minute thrashathons Municipal Waste has established as their own sound… even if it is heavy-handedly borrowed from the past. Besides, the bulk of the MetalSucks community
probably wasn’t around for the first wave of D.R.I., Cro-Mags, and Suicidal Tendencies the first time, so Massive Aggressive ought to do it for the uninitiated.
(three and a half out of five horns)
-BC
Yeah Now go and take a shower :)
heheheeh TODOS USTEDES NO SE HAN BANIADO HOY PUERCOS ASKEROSOS SON TODOS UNOS GRINGOS RACISTAS KE VIVA LA REPUBLICA DOMINICANA, DUARTE SANCHEZ Y MELLA CONIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I did.
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. It’s rethrash, for better or for worse, and while it doesn’t exactly push the boundaries of experimentation, it’s good for what it is.
Bob Cock
Didn’t you hear? Bob C. Cock (the C is for Cock) is dead, the result of a bizarre gerbilling accident in Mexico.
Is it me or is the cover art EXACTLY the same color-scheme and illustration style as Earth AD?
Sorry, but this band sucks. I will now take the opportunity to plug the far superior Warbringer.
Yeah, I’ve always preferred Warbringer (and Evile) over these guys too.
eh. Evile is kind of boring. Warbringer, Lazarus AD, Mantic Ritual and Skeletonwitch are the best new thrash bands.
Evile’s “Enter the Grave” was excellent, the stuff of their new album hasn’t really done it for so far, though.
I really like Warbringer, but for me, they haven’t produced an excellent album yet. They’ve got good songs here and there, but they’ve not got a killer album on their hands yet. Hell, I’d even say ‘Waking Into Nightmares’ was a step backward.
Municipal Waste are awesome, but I’ve yet to hear ‘Massive Aggressive’ yet so can’t speak for whether they’ve continued their good form.
And I’m looking forward to new Evile album. I’m a bit sick of ‘Enter The Grave’ now.
You’ve clearly never seen the ‘Waste live. They played a Scion show earlier this year and like ten kids jumped off the balcony at separate times. Nonstop mayhem. Amazing. I don’t think the music is as tired as some of the other retro-thrash bands, but even if you do, there’s no denying the live show.
I’ve seen Warbringer live a couple times, too. And while I agree they’re a great entry in the field too, they just don’t bring it like MW do.
I have seen the Waste live with At the Gates and the crowd SUCKED. Sorry, but it was a huge letdown to me…I was expecting it to be some level of crazy, not tame as fuck.
these guys rock. saw em with LoG and they killed it. Buyin Massive Aggressive this week. hopes for a headliner and also cant wait for new Skeletonwitch
I completely love these guys. Their music is brilliant, fast and aggressive beyond belief.
Yet I find it hard to tell one album from another on other noticable differences than the quality of the recording.
They are pretty good at staying with their sound, but maybe a little too good.
Agreed.
metalheads LOVE their rehash thrash….Sounds like the same riffs I hear in every other metal song. Its like watching Apatow films-slightly different plot, same actors and characters…..
good band. good album.
Lazarus AD is still my top new band going.
Bonded By Blood!
as a fellow lefty, i love his guitars!