Global Thermonuclear War Seeking Mastery cassette
Based on the band name and cover art, Portland’s GLOBAL THERMONUCLEAR WAR had me thinking D-beat/crossover, and was I ever right. If you like that particular strain of super-fast hardcore with thrash riffs and clean-ish vocals, check this out immediately. This relentless seven-track bombing raid starts with the slow, crusty intro to “The Rich,” shifts into pounding one-two-one-two drums, and doesn’t let up until it’s over. “Violent Settlements” increases the pace with deliriously fast blastbeats and killer, everything-turned-to-eleven production that creates a wall of pissed-off anti-government, anti-war, anti-meat sound that is staggering. I don’t think it could get any faster without a drum machine or something, and it harkens back to the glory days of D.R.I. and CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER. Just fucking in-your-face hardcore punk that demands your full attention. “Industrialized Meat Production” wouldn’t sound out of place on SLAYER’s Reign in Blood in its ferocity and riffs. Final track “B.T.H.A.T.A.” has a racing D-beat that leads the band into prime raw DISCHARGE mode. Highly recommended, but I need a breather after this one.