Cast Down the Plague

Pissing Razors...what a spectacular name for a band. I actually discovered these guys a few years ago courtesy of the Overkill connection, as Garcia filled in on drums for a few shows while Ron Lipnicki recovered from an injury. It makes sense that Garcia was chosen for such an esteemed position once held by the likes of Mike Portnoy, as he is a percussive wizard. Pissing Razors goes back quite a while, and although instinct dictates bracketing these Texas natives in with less reputable peers like Skinlab and Machine Head, Pissing Razors never forget where they came from, beginning as a groove-accentuated thrash act similar to Exhorder and later Forbidden, all bands with reputable and consistent catalogues no matter which end of the field they were playing on.

So if you can stand and enjoy Pantera's better output like Cowboys from Hell and sections of Vulgar Display of Power, value most certainly lurks within Cast Down the Plague, which is a bluesy, ballsy monument to '90s groove metal done damn well. And that isn't even to say there is a deficiency of speed, as Pissing Razors certainly live up to the thrash descriptor at many a juncture here. The endearing and convincing exasperation signified by Rodriguez's choppy, clamorous bellowing aurally beats you up for your lunch money, and with gargantuan, swinging grooves lacing the already hollow-point inclination of the speedier intervals, it flips many of the right switches to my ears and is a real pit-opener on the whole. The avoidance of anything approaching mallcore swill is what truly separates Pissing Razors from the more tepid acts of the style. There are a lot of vocal effects, spoken-word diatribes and overall harangue-driven lyrical gusto that precludes the thought of the band phoning it in at any juncture.

As efficiently as the band pulls off the bouncy, grooving subtext, Garcia's presence never fully leaves the auditory field of vision. His style is comparable to Tom Hunting of Exodus, insofar that he quickly and accurately rattles off bursts of double bass in conjunction with dominance on the top end of the kit. It isn't necessarily overwhelming or extraneous, and his inability to fully slow down helps Cast Down the Plague refrain from devolving into standard groove antics (which does nearly occur at a few points). Most tracks (especially "Sympathy") contain riffing sequences with gargantuan inclinations and a grimy, rock-infused nature that totally kills it. Thrash during the verses and rip the floorboards out from underneath the listener when the integral carom is called for. A simple concept, but hey this is arguably simple music; that doesn't mean it is of poor quality though!

Still being very much a product of its time, Cast Down the Plague retains some of the weaker characteristics that come off as necessary excess baggage in its case. Specifically, the occasional employment of vocal driven, drop-out sections sort of comes off as angsty and unguided when experienced in isolation. I can do without most of these, as they specifically undermine "Vexed," which does still pick up nicely during the second half with that great wah-infused solo and monster half-thrash break. "Away" is another casualty of the aforementioned inequalities, and is a track best skipped due to the superior quality of the remainder of the material. The shakier sections are generally saved by an upshoot of energy courtesy of Garcia and the remainder of the rhythm section, but not everyone will have the patience to sit through the weaker bits.

Since I always appraise records for what they are, Cast Down the Plague simply works for me and satiates a very specific niche that was critically felled by so many lame, bullshit bands helming the scene. Pissing Razors certainly had their place, and although most of their records are not quite of this caliber, this is some enthralling stuff and a great listen if you are in the mood for music that doesn't challenge you that much. For me, it contains just enough thrashing to keep the temperature appreciably high, and the remaining groove metal constituent is one of the better examples I have come across. Not for everybody, but a fun listen and standout of the '90s.