Evil Invaders

"Executioner's Song" must've popped pretty well with the headbangin' masses, because in the same year, 1985, Razor let loose with yet another array of skull-melting tunes in the indispensable "Evil Invaders". Razor's sophomore effort marks a change in sound; the fun- time speed metal of the debut is largely replaced with a loud, gritty streetwise thrash metal attack. Back it up with a meaner, meatier guitar tone and more evil vocals from Sheepdog and you have THE Canadian cult classic thrash record.

While the production is heavier and clearer than that of the debut (I love this record's guitar tone), it still suffers from a quality that bogged down that album: reverb. There's an obnoxious hiss to some of Sheepdog's vocals, echo to the guitars, and an at times near-unbearable hissing from the cymbals and snare which, thanks to M-Bro's suddenly sloppy style, we hear A LOT.

Most of the group make due with this issue nicely, though. Sheepdog's gruff, but happy-go-lucky vox of the debut has morphed into something more sinister here; his lower-end growls now sound meaner and more punishing, while his infamous bird-of-prey shrieking is on full effect, permeating each song with a balanced breakfast of aggression! Mortal ears are not ready for the Shriek of the Sheepdog! Dave Carlo goes ballistic with a new, more fearsome series of riffs, each more memorable than the last and nicely trumping his already well-done performance on "Executioner's Song". Mike Campagnolo's bass is more noticeable and hard-hitting than on the debut, though he typically just flows along with the guitar. In all fairness though, he also has a couple good show-off moments scattered about, my favorite being the intro of "Iron Hammer". Easily our low point of the evening is M-Bro's drumming. THE FUCK, MAN? His skills weren't great as it was on the debut, now here he's somehow worse, over-depending on double bass and smacking the hell outta the snare and cymbals over and fucking over! "Double bass, snare hit, cymbal-tap"...wash, rinse, fucking repeat. Good fuck, man!

Well, after bitching about the lame duck drumming and aggravating production, do I have anything nice to say about "Evil Invaders"? Yes, actually. Save for like, what two songs, this album royally kicks puny mortal anus. Closing track "Thrashdance" lacks some of the rest of the album's vigor and riffage, while "Cross Me Fool" is little more than decent and otherwise is not too notable. Everything else...watch the hell out!

We start off strong with the brutal, catchy, and frankly underrated instrumental "Nowhere Fast". Fan favorites like the cool battering ram speeder "Iron Hammer" and the brutal tempo-changing "Cut Throat" are worthwhile riff-fests loaded with more attitude than a fire-breathing Tasmanian devil with syphilis...on a bad day! The short, punchy "Instant Death" comes armed with a lethal main riff and lyrics weaving a tale of mankind dying by our technological advances. "That's what ya get!". Then we have the stomping, vicious title track which attacks with catchy mid-paced verses and a chorus, but then gets fast as hell come verse and solo time. I also love "Speed Merchants" for coming with some of Sheepdog's best shrieks on the album, not mention more catchy, brutal speed riffs and entertaining lyrics woven about the insanity of the fans themselves.

Overall, the repetitious drum work and reverb-filled production get to be a bit much at times, but it's not nearly enough to kill the overall quality of the individual songs, nor will it bog down the talented efforts of Dave Carlo and Sheepdog. Enjoy the cult classic "Evil Invaders"; unrelenting, entertaining classic speed-thrash, the Canadian way.