Album Review: Condition Critical - Degeneration Chamber
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Condition Critical are part of that new wave of thrash metal that emanated in the early 2010s and while my knowledge of them isn’t too great compared to others, the band have returned with their first record in almost a decade to finally get the wheels turning again. Formed in 2010 out of New Jersey, United States, Condition Critical were everywhere in the early days of their career, their debut full length opus, 2013’s Operational Hazard, being everywhere across YouTube’s various playlists of new wave thrash artists. Another three years on the band unveiled their second album, Extermination Plan, yet afterwards Condition Critical went silent, though still active, but void of any future material. Only recently have the band revived and thus revealed their intentions for album three: Degeneration Chamber. Poised for a September 5th release date and released via entirely independent means, it’s an opportunity to show their established fanbase what they’ve been cooking and demonstrate to fresh audiences what’s in store for them. Given the comparisons to Demolition Hammer (they’ve literally been given the nickname Demolition Hammer Jr.) I’m perplexed as to why I never gave Condition Critical their due. It’s time to do just that with Degeneration Chamber.
Condition Critical may be part of the new wave of thrash metal but their songwriting where riffs are concerned is much more sporadic and hard to put down than their contemporaries would offer. When you believe you’ve got the direction of their playing figured out, they throw in a lick or riff that leans this way and that, throwing off your predicted route for the band. The band’s riffs are complex, far from the typically laid out pieces thrash can deliver. If they’re performing a riff in the moment it won’t be long until they implement something that adds onto it; like a warped game of Tetris, Condition Critical continuously modify the songs they play until they’re a wholly different beast than they were to start with.
The production is left entirely up to the bands playing, and in this case Condition Critical opt for a cleaner, smooth plain upon which their performance flies off of. But whilst the soundscape is nicely polished and great, nurturing care has gone towards how their record comes across to us, their soundscape feels weaponised and angry. Like looking a muzzled hound in the face it can be easy to play down the ferocity contained within, but lift the muzzle off and the band demonstrate just how malicious they truly are. The guitars may harness this finesse indicating years of refinement across numerous releases, but the tone bespeaks a crunching energy that you can’t help but dig your teeth into. Furthermore, the band have this innate capability for adjusting their tempo pending on the songwriting’s requirements; they can throw great volleys of speed at you and in a moment’s notice things come to a halt, the momentum ceases, and the band undergo this instant change in course. It’s difficult to pull that off and I had goosebumps over just how easily these guys managed to do it, completely altering the vibe of a track in doing so.
I love how the bass is clearly doing its own thing in the back. Rather than keep the basslines one-for-one imitating the riffs, the bass has been assigned its own responsibilities, always underlining the band’s performance with a thick foundation upon which things can keep bouncing off from. It also cushions Degeneration Chamber for it ensures the rest of the band aren’t merely throwing their aggression upon some blunt wall, which in turn would craft a harder atmosphere in the vein of a granite surface. In some records it’s the vocals, here it’s the bass that helps bind the album together, and by crafting this more absorbing sound, it ensures it’s constantly engaging us and reducing any possibly rougher texture we may feel.
The drums for the most part are pretty conventional as far as thrash goes. Though the band employ erratic licks that keep you on your toes, the drums though mighty and pronounced in the mix, understand their mission and see to it with consistently renewed strength. But now and again the drumming will suddenly thrust a drum fill or unexpected addition to their patterns, shaking things up. I liked how the drums are able to convey such a blasting and frantic performance without them being at the complete forefront of the band’s sound. When they implement blast beats periodically the drums don’t suddenly jump in volume or intensity within the mix, they’re given their place amongst the band but their power never wanes nor your attention to what they’re delivering.
In conclusion, Condition Critical’a first full length work in almost a decade is more than worth a single spin. Given its rabid and ever/changing nature, multiple spins would likely be needed to discern every minute detail one can leech from this record. There’s so much happening at any time that you will become lost within the veritable storm Condition Critical whip up; following a third and fourth playthrough you’ll come to recognise what the band are doing and why it feels so impactful, but that will only aid you in appreciating the smaller, less observable qualities that the band pour into their craft. Degeneration Chamber is the very embodiment of the new wave of thrash wherein Condition Critical champion the bands of yesteryear but with a thoroughly fresh twist, leaving us with no insinuations that this is anything but bonafide Condition Critical. Boasting nine tracks a slew of entertainment, Degeneration Chamber is as ripping and snarling as they come for this year.
