Ramming Speed – Doomed to Destroy, Destined to Die (Prosthetic Records)
Tuesday, 2nd July 2013
By now it’s no secret – we’re in the midst of a thrash revival, people. And if the steadily rising trajectories of groups like Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, Sylosis, Revocation and hordes of like-minded thrashers are any indication, we’re far from the finish line. So go ahead and add Boston headbangers Ramming Speed to your lists; they may have missed the window for torch-bearing status, but by no means is that keeping them from writing some of the best genre-blending thrash this year has seen so far on Doomed to Destroy, Destined to Die.
Now of course with the tag “genre-blending thrash,” many would contend that the obvious comparison should be made to Revocation’s prog-death-thrash medley. And while the high speed and tight technique of RS’s sonic blend may nod to that of their fellow Bostonians, Doomed… presents more of a punk/grindcore and rock influence on the genre. And it’s just too much fun.
Each of the cuts from the Kurt Ballou-produced record are snappy and moderate in length, running the gamut of represented genres while keeping a good balance between each. In short, these are some killer tracks. Quick to transition from a vicious maelstrom of grinding blast sections into groovy riffs or a tightly harmonized lead guitar bridge, it’s clear that RS has found their rhythm and worked hard on developing their songwriting. Highlights include the mid-paced march of “Ministry of Truth” and the vicious staccato riffage in “Under the Monolith.”
It’s heartening to know that in what has the potential to become a bandwagon trend, there are still hungry musicians working their asses off to really represent the music they care about. So grab your gnarliest band tee, a case of brew, some fellow ‘bangers and give this record a spin – Ramming Speed has put the work in, and it shows.
