Force Ethics

One of those thrash groups that didn’t really amount to much the first time round and then re-emerged recently to finally record an album, Shock Wave now follow up The Omega Communion (which has proven not so “final”) with Force Ethics, a bona fide full-length. Perhaps the trio’s island home of Palma, Spain prevented them from making waves in the late ‘80s, but the current members seem to be having fun with songs like ‘Immune to Voodoo’, ‘Fabulous X-25 Thunder Lion Attack’, and ‘Never Unplugged’, which starts out with a woeful rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’ just for shits and giggles. The thrashers avoid other Judy Garland references by concentrating on propulsive rhythmic tunes of a concise nature, reminding of Overkill and occasionally less pure thrash acts like Dew-Scented due to the forcefully shouted vocals.

Provided that the riffs work well and the songs don’t run together, this kind of crossover-tinged sound can act extremely effectively on listeners’ neck muscles. Perhaps a mix slightly on the percussive side holds back Force Ethics from full wrecking potential, but the 11 cuts show an admirable balance of aggression, groove, hooks, and smart touches, such as during the fiddly instrumental ‘T.T.H.S.’ in which even the bass gets a tasty solo. The smoothness and dexterity of the guitar leads also appeals, especially when gritty rhythmic numbers like ‘From Nothingness to Misery’ hit a patch of melodic sunshine and Shock Wave seem to accelerate as the solo drives on. The heartfelt slower ‘Marble Skin’ could possibly have come earlier in the tracklist, though such sensible variety pays dividends even on a 38 minute album where plan A never becomes tiring. It may be a surprise to see Shock Wave alive in 2021, yet Force Ethics earns its position in the current thrash environment.


Originally written for Metalegion #10 - www.metalegion.com