Intense! Fun! Hairy! Makes your mullet move like no tomorrow! This is the debut album from Thrashsquatch, a mad thrash metal patrol from Hesperia, California, who formed in 2011, and only two years later, put out their first full-length album, 'Rager at the Lake'.

Do not expect anything new, because you're not gonna find it here. This is pure 1980's thrash with hardcore punk traits. So, this tastes old in a cool way. Early M.O.D., Exodus and Metallica mixed, in a way, but not really clearly at all. Sharp and fast riffing, heavy string shredding, pounding bass guitar, fierce drumming and agonized HC vocals are included in Thrashquatch's recipe. They also throw in some deathrash ('Thrashquatch Is Here'), so it can get atomizing as heck.

While the music is intense, there are occasional melodious guitar lead bits (and also harmonics), but mainly it is harsh riffing. The drumming is about skank and double kick drum beats mostly, but they fluidy follow the vibes, so there's a tad looser stuff, too, during the melodic guitar parts. At times, the bass guitar is goes soloing, even though it's mainly following the guitars or the drums. Admittedly, this could be a bit more varying, but the music is still pretty catchy and the album does not stall at any point. This is more about being headbangable, than being sticky. All 30 minutes of it...

The vocals are scream/shout hybrid (often distorted a bit), and powerful at that, plus pretty inhuman. There are some gang vocals present, which was not a surprise let me tell you. The lyrics are about beavers. No, sorry, about sasquatches! Okay, I do not know but bigfoots might eat some beavers in the lyrics, which are sadly not printed. I am sure they drink beer in some tales...

So, 'Rager at the Lake' is one of them party thrash records. It is not clumsy or jocular, but a blasting thrash metal platter. One for those who miss 1980's style vibes and mayhem. The organic and rather clear production job is great and always welcome during these times of Pro Tools and loudness war or something like that. Make that hairy butt move to the beat of Thrashquatch!!!

Rating: 7+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
11/28/2021 21:50