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Two strong voices from the underground.-
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| A.N.S./Ramming Speed: Split |
Crossover, Thrash Metal
Tankcrimes Records
April 12th, 2011
- A.N.S.: Pine's Perdition - 2:19
- A.N.S.: The Quest Lives On - 1:24
- A.N.S.: Can't Let This Go - 3:24
- A.N.S.: Roehrs' War - 8:03
- Ramming Speed: Betrayed - 2:57
- Ramming Speed: Last Drop/Dogmatic Horde - 4:05
- Ramming Speed: Perdition - 3:10
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| Review Information |
Release length: 25:22
Review posted on April 21st, 2011
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| | Overall Score: 8.5/10 |
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| Discography |
Discography covers all information available up to day of review and is updated if future albums are reviewed. |
| A.N.S. |
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| Full-Length(s): |
The Pool (2004) • The Process of Stoking Out (2007) • Pressure Cracks (2009)
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| EP(s): |
Romancing the Phone (2005) • Heinous (2006)
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| Split(s): |
A.N.S./Deadpoint (2006) • A.N.S./My Revenge (2006) • 4 Bands to Drain Your Pool (2006) • A.N.S./Reproach (2008)
A.N.S./Seasick (2008) • Carpenter Ant/A.N.S. (2008)
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| Demo(s): |
Defaced Demo* (2000) • We'll Only Have Ourselves to Blame* (2001)
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| Compilation(s): |
Success at Last (2003) • Let Them Eat Wood (2008)
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| Ramming Speed |
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| Full-Length(s): |
Brainwreck (2008)
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| EP(s): |
Full Speed Ahead (2007) • Always Disgusting, Never Surprised (2009)
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| Split(s): |
Split (2011)
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* Denotes a recording issue from the band under the name Defaced. |
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| Review |
With the Thrash revival as strong as it is, it's pretty obvious to assume that there are plenty of bands in the style that lay in the underground. Tankcrimes is aware of this, and has pulled together Thrash/Crossover acts A.N.S. and Ramming Speed for a seven track split release. With both bands issuing a number of releases, A.N.S. more then Ramming Speed obviously, and all on independent labels, it comes as no shock that these groups find their new material through Tankcrimes, but does the material itself deliver enough of a shock for fans of the style to stand up and take notice of these less-then-acknowledged acts?
Both bands have a general common Crossover trait, though A.N.S. definitely has a stronger Crossover presentation to them to the point where their material often comes off as well done aggressive Punk then anything else. This becomes pretty obvious right from the start with "Pine's Perdition". The song isn't too bad at all and comes off rather aggressive at the start, and the faster pace definitely brings in thoughts of early Thrash acts, including bands like Suicidal Tendencies among others like Anthrax, but there are hints of a more modern Punk meets Metal sound as some comparison to Wednesday 13 and his varying projects can be picked up here and there through the recording, such as when the vocals kick in on said track "Pine's Perdition", though that seems to be secluded primarily to that track as the first two mentioned bands seem to shine through more as the music progresses with this band's contributions. While "Pine's Perdition" is a good track, "The Quest Lives On" and "Can't Let This God" are much stronger in comparison, having a more energetic vibe to the music, a little more complexity, and come off as the perfect mixture of Punk and Thrash. "Roehrs' War" is also a strong track, and early on it shines as the band's most impressive and energetic cut, but the song lasts just a little over eight minutes, and most of that is an annoying beyond belief repetative chord that the band uses until the song finally ends, making it one you'll scramble to skip button for the second all that starts.
The last three tracks belong to Ramming Speed, and they really start off showing the truth in the band's name. The music pounds forward with a pure Thrash intensity and aggression coupled with a gutteral roar that makes the music feel like the band is about to physically charge at the listener. "Betrayed" hammers away after that glorious introduction with pounding Thrash music that feels a little more complex, but in a more Punk way with the chords being played, and the vocals are performed as either screaming or gutteral, but both become commanding and perfectly suit the music being played. Sometimes they do go into a higher rhaspy shriek, but that's only about half way through "Betrayed". Whereas A.N.S. had a more upbeat Punk sound to their material, Ramming Speed brings the heavier meat to the release, and each track here hammers away at the listener from start to finish in quite an impressive performance.
When it comes to the underground, a good number of independent labels have their ears to the ground, and they typically find the better bands out there. This Split release with A.N.S. and Ramming Speed is proof enough of this, as the songs here are all quite enjoyable, though depending on your tastes in Crossover or Thrash in general, one may take a little while to fully enjoy then the other. Outside of that annoying drawing out of time on the last A.N.S. song of their set, there's no reason to not check this effort out.
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