DressAge

While thrash metal is far from my area of expertise - this I consider the so-called "new wave of traditional heavy metal" as well as doom metal (or an amalgam of the two) - I've a definite affinity for well-polished "technical thrash" such as Megadeth (flog me!), Havok, and Brazil's emerging Woslom . Add to this Germany's Running Death and I could almost consider myself a minor, if not fledging, genre apprentice. Having dug its full-length debut, 2015's Overdrive, I can't help but make myself heard in regards to the jocund albeit ripping trio's latest offering, DressAge, released May 26th under Punishment 18 Records.

This release is so freaking full of exploratory and extrapolative face-peeling riffs as well as overloaded with odd, quirky nuances and embellishments I'm hesitant to review it seeing as how insanely comprehensive and thorough it is. Seasoned genre authorities might not see what all the fuss is about or be as blown away as I considering their much wider scope of experiences; this is readily understandable so excuse me for my overt enthusiasm and kid-like glee as I'm wet behind the ears when it comes to this kind of superlative metal mayhem.

Hailing from Kaufbeuren, Bavaria, frontman/ axe man Simon Bihlmayer, bassist Andrej Ramich and drummer Jakob Weikmann get this blitzing circus on the road with "Courageous Mind", a jazzy Megadeth/Testament slit-throat dirge which reels in the intrigued listener like a swarthy barker at the Freak Show. Admittedly, Bihlmayer's rough-around-the edges rasps and gruff exordiums are surely not the high point to Running Death but as inferred, the exciting and innovative instrumentation is something else! Dig the liberating sundry of a neo-classical solo at 02:47 or how an unabated, joyful chorus wraps things up before exiting the stage for "Dressage" proper, which gashed me a new one with its Suicidal Tendencies vibe, slick guitar chops and soaring power-chords. A rumbling Oscar the Grouch evoking bass solo bridges the gap to more of this track's captivating main riff and arpeggios before soaring ever higher with a highly dexterous and emotional Marty Friedman style lead break.

In regards to the production, it's as polished and tight as the cover's licentious, gonzo endowed gal's T-shirt. Lecherous tendencies aside, both Running Death releases make me think of "refrigerated clinical thrash" as their underlying tones and song constructs are anything but warm; rather, the riffs, bass lines and drum beats syncretize in a somewhat disjointed, clunky fashion yet still manage to flow without a hitch, even on the spastic "Delusive Silence".

"Heroes Of The Hour" begins with a frigid, evil harmony soon joined by a marked tribal drum beat/cymbal ride which leads to a downright kewl, razor sharp Egyptian sounding riff complete with an accent-tinged, Mike Muir-ish Bihlmayer skulking his way through the chorus. Floored as I am by the first four songs, I feel disjointed by the time a classical thrash fest in "Duty Of Beauty" wipes the floor with my by now-embattled brainpan. Anyhow, the lush, rampant lead break at 01:25 is astounding - you don't hear this kind of flamboyant jazz-metal every day or on any street corner for that matter. Another flaming Friedman-esque solo makes itself heard four minutes in to boot.

I could go on but why bother; y'all catch my drift. Along with all-out thrash-tastic mayhem, definite groove-metal elements are discerned as well, such as the Byzantine (both band and adjective mind) riff-fest of a closer, "Refuse To Kill". With that, unfasten your eyes from the big-jugged bird on the cover and give Running Death's DressAge a whirl!