CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER
Convicted & Madhouse CDs (Relapse)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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Politically aware, speed-crazy thrash from the mid-80s. Man, these guys were fast! This is easily as fast as early D.R.I., and even tighter and more technically proficient. It's a full seven songs of insanely fast hardcore punk, with slight metal flourishes, before you reach "Nuclear Future," where they actually slow the tempo down, well, until they speed it up again. There is a guitar solo, albeit a brief one, in this song. Aaaaggghhhh! This is insane! Boy, these guys were really tight and this is pretty well-produced all things considered. It's not really speedmetal, and I guess they called it "speedcore," which seems like an apt description. Singer Bill Crooks had that snotty, snarly, bratty voice similar to Kurt Brecht of D.R.I. I don't think this is the kind of thing I'd just throw on for relaxing to, but it's great if you're in an agro mood. This reissue adds five lower-fi songs from a 1985 demotape, and four live songs from a 1988 live show that really rage.

[This CD isn't easily found, but it can be purchased at the Relapse Records website.]

© 2003 - Alan Wright