Rotten     

Troopers Of Midnight
Thrashing Madness 2012

Dirty Mexican speed thrash hits you like the stink of fermented agave on the new album from Rotten.  After a very ominous intro of synth and whispered chants the doors are kicked off as Drinking By Lust And Alcohol spews forth gravelly vocals and raw thrash riffs, sort of like an amped up version of Motorhead.  The song is pierced by a barroom rock guitar solo.  The catchy, driving riff that starts out Massive Drinking Capacity brings to mind the same spirit of Kill 'Em All era Metallica.  It is a more destructive version of NWOBHM speed riffing but with a straight rock beat.  The production changes on Monumental Butchery which is a black thrash attack which echoes the savagery of early Aura Noir.  The music slows down and becomes morbidly romantic on Burning In The Dark.  An acoustic guitar accompanies doomy riffs, strained vocals and melodic leads.  Up next is the fat, meaty riffs of Mayhemic Thrash N Roll.  I would say this title accurately sums up Rotten's overall sound.  And the thrashed out main rock riffs that are leveled at the listener on this track hit like a fist.  I am reminded of Sodom's debut on this track, that is until the 2:08 mark when the track drops into a slowed down rock groove.  Maniac Metal Megatons explodes like a bomb.  Speedy, aggressive riffs shred your flesh with single-minded determination.  The album finishes off with a GG Allin cover.  Rotten's blackened version of Bite It You Scum serves to illustrate the punk foundations lurking in Rotten's own material.  Rotten delivers an album of speed metal tinged thrash that is as raw and primitive as the Mexican desert, strewn with headless corpses.  This is carnage on a murderous level.  Troopers of Midnight rampages through your eardrums leaving nothing but bloody destruction.