I wonder how the heck I found Ballistic..? I noticed it standing there, on my records shelf, and my expression probably went totally blank for a few seconds. I think this, their sole album was available for a cheap-ish price. Something like that. Anyway, Ballistic is (or was???) Tom Gattis' band after Deuce and Tension were finished. And you know what? This is fucking METAL!!!

'Collision Course' sounds like how everybody wants Megadeth to sound nowadays. Okay, you, the millions of Megadeth fans, now get this album... Seriously, this is intense, hellishly well-played, and catchy thrash metal like it was coming straight from the golden era. As I live in Europe, we have a different song order here, so: 'Corpse Stacked High' offers a bit more violent thrashing, and all hail the gang vocals. 'Watch Me Do It' brings in hard rocking and heavy metal vibes. In a nutshell, that's what this album is all about, but maybe I did not point hard enough towards Megadeth influence... It can't be said that Ballistic have aped Megadeth here, but still I hear a lot of stuff that sound pretty 'Rust in Peace'-ish (1990). In a way Ballistic's diversified musical influences remind me of Overkill. No matter how much old school influences Ballistic have, their music still sound true, not manufactured.

Ballistic have muscles, but also brain. Guitar playing from Mr. Gattis and totally unknown face Petio Petev is a fuckin' shred-fest! Rapid firing riffage and finger-melting soloing, this is a platter for speed/thrash metal guitar lovers. There's also some cool melodic guitar work and of course some twin-guitaring, but never any rosy-cozy loveliness except for one damned incident: Annoying rockabilly (or whatever) guitar part on 'Silent Killer', but thankfully that is over soon and swiftly forgotten. The vocals are intense. Mr. Gattis' vibrant singing ain't pretty for sure, nor very melodic, but still it is very powerful. When he enters into angrier territories, he even sounds like Tom Araya at times. Aforemention gang vocals rule. Gwar's Dave "Oderus Urungus" Brockie makes a bone-chillingly mad guest appearance on 'The Dissection / Into the Sever Chamber'. Jag Panzer's Rikard Stjernquist hits the skins, so no need to be afraid of the rhythm section's work, which is completed by ex-Tension guy Tim O'Connor. I have no negative comments about the production; it is full and it is well-balanced, letting every element shine. As the lyrics are better than average, as well as the cover art, the album is wholly well presented.

A true air-guitaring album, this, but also a good album, both music- and perfromanceswise. If you love speed/thrash metal, then you need to check Ballistic out, simple as that. We want more!

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
10/22/2008 22:05