Listening to Killing Spree's debut full length album 'Deception Betrayal Revenge' is like entering a time warp which takes you straight at the end of 1980s and at the first half of 1990s. This San Franciscan trio performs thrash metal of yore. However, this is no usual "retro" bullshit, this is real thing.

Killing Spree sound very North American of course. Most of the songs are uncompromising thrash metal. Overkill and Nuclear Assault are the bands that came to my mind first, when listening to this platter, maybe because of the band's hardcore influence. On the other hand, 'Garden of Heathen' immediately made me think of mad Germans Destruction, and another more evil-sounding shredder (James Murray on guitar) is 'Devilution'. There are bits of more groovy stuff, too, but they definitely play a smaller part. 'Power of Hate' and 'Hollow Structure's guitar work and rhythm section (Eric Hansen on bass and Mike Taylor drumming) driven style remind me of Prong and such post-thrash bands. This stuff happens also quite infrequently, thankfully. It does not fit seamlessly with more aggressive material, to tell the truth. Industrial style instrumental 'Big Bang' is simply useless. The song material is generally quite strong and also full of hooks at better times, with a few killer riffs heard every now and then. Two bonus tracks taken from EP 'Motive' are more thrashing pieces, and actually are far better songs than some aforementioned ones.

The band's performance is tight and energetic, but the guys have already been together in a band called Flush since 1999, before becoming Killing Spree. The vocals are partly cool, when manic screaming rips off Mr. Hansen's tonsils. HC style angrier vocals and more spoken ones, which remind me of Dave Mustaine, are also good, as are typical gang vocals provided by the rest of the band. Thing that I do not like is strained vocals style, something like a mixture of Robb Flynn and Sean Killian, and it also is the most used style. The production on the album is okay, quite basic, but fits well to the style of metal.

Thrashers who enjoy North American thrash metal of the yore, give Killing Spree a go. They stick to the style for the most of the album, but those few flirtings with more modern stuff (something like the first half of 1990s when speaking about this album!!!) really feel a bit out of place.

Rating: 6½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
07/31/2005 18:27