| Reviews for Acid Reign's Obnoxious |
| The second best UK thrash album ever! (after Sabba - 90% |
| Written by mgh
on October 13th, 2008
|
| Now, Acid Reign were fools. Both to themselves and to the public, which led to the misconception that they were a joke band, a band for whom apple-core was a great joke and taking themselves seriously was ridiculous. They played up to this image too, and were thus consigned to a bit-part in the history of thrash. When they split in '92, the sign-off Lp (the worst of Acid Reign) again emphasised this self-parody. BUT!!!! In actual fact musically this was a very talented band! The UK was not a hotbed of thrash talent, there was Sabbat, Xentrix, Acid Reign and a coupla lesser known bands like Sacrilege and Seventh Angel, and so it was difficult to get noticed/signed. Yet Acid Reign managwed this and produced a great EP 'Moshkinstein' and 1st album 'The Fear'. Thus witht their 2nd LP, expectations were high. Unfortunately, the album came out to a backdrop of a) And Justice For All b)increased apathy towards thrash and appreciation of death metal. So to stand out as a thrash metal opus, the record would need to be both technically adept, and supported by a commited touring band. Needless to say, Acid Reign were not a commited touring band, and self-destructed soon after this LP. But the album itself is a tour de force of technical thrash. It is, in my mind, the greatest UK thrash album other that Sabbat's 'Dreamweaver'. Opening tune 'Creative Restraint' sets the tone with its clever lyrics, insistent riffage and keen song structure. This mood is continued by 'Joke Chain',an insistent bass riff leads into guitar heaven, and some adept, Voivod/Atheist-esque twisting riffs. the lyrics deal with climate change, as does much of the album. Song 3, 'Thoughtful Sleep' is the record's piece de resistance - a 7 minute ballad recording the trial of a child's neglect from its parents - utterly brilliant. This song should be held up as a paragon of thrash wizardry, b ut clearly the pther elements surrounding this band get in the way. The final song on side A is a hardcore-tinged mosh favourite - fast and frenetic. Side B opens with a classical piece, before segueing into the sort of intelligent thrash people thought only Metallica could do - not so! The final song finishes with a cheeky funk piece, again this lays Acid Reign open to criticism of being a joke band - NOT TRUE! IN short this is intelligent, complex thrash metal of the highest order, and is now receiving a deserved reappraisal in mags such as Terrorizer, who recognise this as a pinnacle in UK thrash - go and buy now!!!!! |
| A poor effort - 25% |
| Written by Vim_Fuego
on August 7th, 2004
|
| There were a number of reasons Thrash Metal died in the early 1990s. Many of the leading bands changed direction, and lost their power, while others seemed to run out of ideas and inspiration. Acid Reign killed off their own career, taking the second of those two paths. 'Obnoxious' is very badly done, in a number of ways. For a start, pink is NOT a good colour for a cover. The packaging looks cheap and rushed, with very little thought put into it. The musical content is not far different, only the band's problem seems to be too much thought, rather than not enough. There are some damn good ideas here, but they are just very poorly executed. As a lyricist, H never took the easy path. A majority of the lyrics he wrote here were introspective, examining what makes an individual unique rather than following the crowd. Also included is the moving "Thoughtful Sleep". It is made up of entries from the diary of a young man in the days leading to his suicide. But herein lies the problem. The lyrics are too involved and complex to have any real effect. There is nothing for the listener to sink their teeth into, because you are kept busy trying to figure out what the lyrics mean. H's vocal delivery doesn't sit well with the music. He tends to attempt soaring vocal melodies from time to time, which is fine if you can manage them. Unfortunately, he can't, and often wavers about off key and searching for the correct notes. Musically, more could have been expected from Acid Reign. The ideas are good, like discordant chords playing off each other, funky interludes, and the odd bit of good old high speed thrashing, but like the vocals they just don't work. Discordance can sound excellent when done properly. It seems like the band did not have enough time to hit the right (or wrong) chords, and seemed to be satisfied with a "rough enough is good enough" job. The funky jam on "Codes Of Conformity" is mildly entertaining, but feels like unnecessary filler at the end of an already lengthy song. Playing fast and heavy was what thrash was all about. Acid Reign forgot how. Sure, it's still heavy and speedy, but it's a train wreck. The drumming is all over the place, especially the cymbals and high hat, which are dreadfully out of time. The riffing is just speed for speed's sake, not at all memorable or catchy. If you want to check out a genre dying and a band committing musical suicide, then give this a listen, along with Re–Animator's 'Laughing', Sacred Reich's 'The American Way' and Testament's 'Souls Of Black'. If you want a good Acid Reign album, try 'The Fear' or 'The Worst Of Acid Reign'. |
| Decent thrash from the UK! - 82% |
| Written by PowerMetalGuardian
on March 13th, 2003
|
| Hey metalheads don't be afraid of this pink/purplish cover, here is some decent thrash. Sure this thrash metal was coming from the UK, not Bay Area, but it is still good nonetheless. Acid Reign played along with Reanimator and Xentrix at this time. While listening to this just think Anthrax and everything will be alright. These guys can be like Anthrax on many levels. Like Anthrax the originality of the material lacks, but that is why it is so silly...er awsome! Some of the songs like Joke Chain and Thoughtful Sleep are filled with hillarious Anthrax type lyrics. On the song This is Serious they have this guy talking, it sounds like he is a drunk british dude who is just rampling on! The vocals are definetly like old Anthrax. Unlike some thrash bands who deliever high screaming lyrics, Acid Reign's vocals almost sound punkish, raw and low. They also have a lot of backing vocals like Anthrax does on Among the Living (ie songs like Code of Conformity and This is Serious). Even the bass twangs are formiliar to that era. The riffs are cool, just your typical fast pased or slow yet powerful chord slamming riffs. The main riff of Phantasm screams thrash metal, just one example of great riffing. Plenty of riffs to headbang and laugh your ass off! The drums are also great, thrash style with fast paced double bass beats (ie. You Are Your Own Enemy). If you like Anthrax or Wrathchild America, you will love these guys. Decent thrash from the UK. |