Municipal Waste - Waste 'Em All (Six Weeks) 2003
1. The Executioner [instrumental] (1:12)
2. Sweet Attack (:58)
3. Mutants of War (1:00)
4. Knife Fight (:50)
5. Drunk as Shit (:58)
6. Death Prank (0:11)
7. Substitute Creature (1:01)
8. Waste 'em All (1:30)
9. Toxic Revolution (1:51)
10. I Want to Kill the President (:17)
11. Thrash?! Don't Mind If I Do (:56)
12. Dropped Out (:46)
13. Blood Hunger (1:10)
14. Jock Pit (1:15)
15. The Mountain Wizard (1:25)
16. hidden track (2:09)
Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, USA, Municipal Waste are generally known as a thrash metal band. However, thrash metal, for the most part is mostly heavy metal with a punk influence. The music "Waste 'Em All" is mostly punk with a thrash influence. Fast, furious, short spurts of energy and silliness. (Longest song is just over two minutes.) Unlike much of the modern metal that is labeled "core", these guys are not whining about their pathetic lives, but rather they are having fun and not taking themselves too seriously. I found "Jock Pit" to be especially funny, reminding me of the jocks in the pit at a Motorhead show I attended. You just know those guys aren't there for the music, they are just there to beat the crap out of anyone willing to get into the pit. "Last one standing in the jock pit rules!" As with any punk band worth their spike hair, there are a few political rants scattered throughout this platter as well. But even those songs don't come off as whiney and pathetic.
Stylistically, the band is comparable to early D.R.I.. M.O.D., Cryptic Slaughter and Suicidal Tendencies. The album starts off with something that sounds like Tankard, only drunker. This song is the instrumental introduction to "Sweet Attack", a Nuclear Assault styled crossover mosher. "Mutants of War" continues the fast paced chug-fest. "Knife Fight" and "Drunk as Shit" are pure punk rock, both tracks clocking in at under a minute. "Death Prank" wins the award for the shortest track on the album. This type of short song reminds me of those early S.O.D. and M.O.D. albums. The entire album has that retro crossover sound that appeals to both punks and thrash fans alike. "Waste 'Em All" may offer nothing really new to a classic genre, but it's a lot of fun for what it is. Time to thrash!
Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation (Earache Records) 2005
1. "Deathripper"
(2:18)
2. "Unleash the Bastards" (1:56)
3. "The Thing" (1:53)
4. "Blood Drive" (1:13)
5. "Accelerated Vision" (1:25)
6. "Guilty of Being Tight" (1:52)
7. "Set to Destruct " (2:01)
8. "Hazardous Mutation" (1:20)
9. "Nailed Casket" (1:36)
10. "Abusement Park" (:59)
11. "Black Ice" (:23)
12. "Mind Eraser" (2:17)
13. "Terror Shark" (1:42)
14. "The Thrashin' of the Christ" (2:30)
15. "Bangover" (2:38)
Hi-speed, hi-energy, spastic, crossover thrash metal. Municipal Waste are a thrash metal machine. However, while many modern bands are going in the direction of "Kill 'Em All" and "Bonded by Blood", Hazardous Mutation steer clear of the Bay Area sound and instead tread similar music ground to bands like S.O.D. and Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, with a slight nod to bands like Evildead, Anthrax and Nuclear Assault. If this were the direction that hardcore and metal had gone, instead of the crap that is metalcore, I would have counted myself a fan. One of the big differences in "Hazardous Mutation" to some of those early crossover records is the production. Municipal Waste have managed to keep a raw, heavy sound, while at the same time have a more modern production that allows all instruments to be heard, including the bass guitar. (What a concept huh?) Shoot, if it hadn't been for this, I would have swore that this album were recording in the heat or thrash/crossover mania in 1988.
The band's lyrics continue on the proud crossover tradition of bands like D.R.I., Cryptic Slaughter, Ludichrist, S.O.D., etc. with clever phrasing, odd humor and politically incorrect commentaries. Part of what makes this band fun is that they don't seem to take themselves too seriously, while at the same time offering opinions that might very well sound preachy in any other format. Unfortunately some people may be offended by the lyrics to "The Thrashin' of the Christ". The band rightfully points out some hypocrisy within the church walls, but instead of just pointing out the problem go on to attack God, the Bible and anyone who is associated with the church. Guilt by association I suppose. This is hypocrisy itself, as most fans of punk, metal, and such have fought for years to shake the stereotyping associated with those who give the scene a bad name.
Another important thing to note about "Hazardous Mutation" is the cover art, which also echoes back to thrash days gone by. The cover was painted by infamous artist Ed Repka, who is most know for his work on "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?", among others. There are actually two different versions of this cover. The alternative to the one posted here has the same art as shown below but with a red logo and no album title appearing on the cover.
Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying (Earache Records) 2007
1. "Pre-Game"
(:39
2. "The Art of Partying" (2:04)
3. "Headbanger Face Rip" (1:51)
4. "Mental Shock" (1:48)
5. "A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Destroyer)" (2:12)
6. "The Inebriator" (2:07)
7. "Lunch Hall Food Brawl" (1:58)
8. "Beer Pressure" (2:37)
9. "Chemically Altered" (2:210
10. "Sadistic Magician" (2:09)
11. "Open Your Mind" (1:55)
12. "Radioactive Force" (2:27)
13. 'Septic Detonation" (1:20)
14. "Rigorous Vengeance" (2:12)
15. "Born to Party" (4:20)
BONUS TRACKS
16. "Thrashing's My Business and Business Is Good" (:50)
17. "I Just Wanna Rock" (2:09)
I had read about Virginia's Minicipal Waste some time ago but hadn't heard their music. Metal fans on the internet were already touting "The Art of Partying" as one of the best new thrash releases of 2007. As such, I had to check it out. My first taste of them was on a thrash compilation where the song "Headbanger Face Rip" grabbed me by he jugular and had me instantly hooked. I immediately sought out this CD. Municipal Waste are cut from the same mold as bands like S.O.D. and The Crucified, crossing the mosh ethic of Anthrax and the punk/hardcore influence of D.R.I. In other words, blistering crossover thrash metal. If it isn't painfully obvious from the album cover, this band doesn't take themselves too seriously and has a sense of humor. With song titles like "Headbanger Face Rip", "The Inebriator," "Beer Pressure" and "Lunch Hall Food Brawl" you aren't really left guessing what this band is all about. Despite this, however, the music isn't sloppy or mediocre. Rather, Municipal was has the ability to mesh together fast, heavy thrash riffs, with frantic drumming and vocal hooks that last throughout the entire CD. The guitar playing is tight, switching back and forth from razor sharp, E-string abuse to simple power chords. Vocalist Tony Foresta shouts with a punk-like attitude that works well with the music. I find his style refreshing in that he is aggressive without sounding like the hordes of angry metalcore shouters currently infesting the scene. As a matter of fact, it's one of the things I found so refreshing about Municipal Waste. Their music may not be ultra original, but it's refreshingly fun in a music scene overcrowded with anger, doom and gloom.