Album Review: Thrash Bandicoot - Milwaukee Cannibal
Reviewed by Carl Black
Who remembers the Ronseal adverts? Ronseal’s quick drying wood stain, stains your wood… quick. Ronseal’s quick drying wood stain… it does exactly what it says on the tin. So when Thrash Bandicoot arrive in my ears I’m thinking... here we go, a thrash band with the genre in the title of the band, plus a play on words with Crash Bandicoot, a parody on the lovable genetically enhanced Bandicoot who roamed the many platforms of early games consoles in the mid 90’s.
Hailing from Wollongong, Australia and its confirmed, a cross between Airborne, Metallica and Lawnmower Deth… right??? WRONG!!! Thrash Bandicoot are a thrash, verging on death metal band. Stomping intros followed by hard, fast riffs with vocals that begin to tip into cookie monster territory, but are just audible. My assumption is as wrong as can be, there are less laughs on here than an episode of Miranda. (just to be clear, Miranda is as funny as the dose of the clap).
They stray into Machine Head/Slipknot territory at times, 'Trapped Society' has similarities to 'Psycho Social'. The first two songs, the title track and 'Dissolve' are the gold in this particular treasure trove. Well produced and excellently executed by the band. However, as the E.P. progresses to the later songs is seems as if the production becomes sloppy and the band are recording songs that are not fully developed. You can hear the hum of the amp after one song, and I don’t think it was by design.
Thrash can be a tough scene to break into, especially if you’re not from a certain area by the bay. But when you get bands from other places who fight to get noticed, you have to be good. Thrash Bandicoot are as good as their name is dreadful. If you can live with that, as I can, you’re in for a treat. Probably too late to change the name but a support tour with Job for Cowboy could be on the cards, "The battle of the bad name tour, hitting a town near you."
Thrash Bandicoot's 'Milwaukee Cannibal' is out now. Listen to it here.
