Mekong Delta – Intersections (SPV/Steamhammer)

More and more bands seem to be going back in time and re-recording past songs in an effort to “update” them. Whether this is to re-make some songs with more current production standards, seeing what those songs will be like with a different lineup, or any other conceivable reason may be – it’s always an intriguing proposition. Mekong Delta is the latest to make a go at this idea with Intersections, a compilation of re-recorded songs from their early days.

Some bands have really done this sort of thing admirably. Destruction’sThrash Anthems is one of the more superb examples of how this can turn out in the band’s favor. That album gave some older songs an update to the current feel of Destruction, and really gave some classics some new life and extra abrasiveness. Mekong Delta does a passable job at rehashing some of their better tracks, but this disc as a whole is nothing to write home about either.

These re-recordings do sound sonically good for the most part, however, somesimply feel like lesser copies of the originals. “Shades of Doom,” “Innocent,” “Heroes Grief” and “Prophecy” are the songs that are done the most justice, with all of them keeping their original feel intact, but giving them a kick in the pants at the same time. Others like “The Cure” and “Memories of Tomorrow” seem to be lacking something that the originals had. They feel thinner and weaker, which is a shame, as these are definitely good tunes.

Intersections was a good move with the thought of introducing people to Mekong Delta who were previously unaware of their existence. There are some sure winners here, and there are a few where the original versions are the far better listen. To those who are green on the band, checking this out isn’t a bad idea. This serves as a good cross-section of material, displaying the unique progressive approach that the Mekong Delta has taken to thrash metal. The more preferable approach, however, is to simply check out the originals. But this works, too, if so inclined. To those who already know and dig these talented dudes, then this is an unnecessary addition.

www.mekongdelta.eu

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)