It’s amazing at this stage of the scene how many recordings start as solo project offerings only to blossom into full-fledge bands. This is the case once again for Canadian crossover thrash trio Supermodel Taxidermy – starting in 2021 to release the debut EP A Whorer Story in 2022 with vocalist / guitarist Shawn Maynard gathering a session bassist and drummer to fill out the songs. Bassist/ back-up vocalist Michael Cheney and drummer Reilly Williams joined after this release, leading to more songwriting/ rehearsal sessions to prepare for the full-length follow-up At What Cost. With subject matter around addiction, death, suicide, and prostitution tackled in a fun/pop culture manner as well as expressing many societal horrors, the band’s potent punk meets hardcore/thrash attack keeps these ten tracks moving along at a fierce, to the point clip – aligning well to the sound that put D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies on the map during the 80s to early 90s.
The stripped-down riffs wrapped around potent, in your face bass and pounding drums keeps the lean arrangements locked and loaded on the hooks – and they come at you faster than ever, even when narrative / sound effects come in as additional flavoring. The intro “Wake Up” starts off very reflective before kicking into gear around the 40 second mark, Shawn’s driving riff attack plus Reilly’s steady double bass / snare action galvanizing the arrangement into this explosive track, the gang background vocals simmering to a boil. The next track “Exorcist For Beer” is a party anthem meets horror story come to life – more crunchy rhythms next to pumping active bass lines sure to cause stage diving or circle pit maneuvers on the grandest scale.
Not everything comes at the listener at high octane speed – there are many songs that instead traverse that mid-tempo crossover swing where Shawn’s semi-talk / militant bark spits out the words in an up and down measured manner, while the music churns to mandate headbanging of the old school variety. Those who love odes to the audience, especially the female contingency will dig “Lipstick”, while “Kevlar” has a bit of that South of Heaven-period Slayer ambiance next to D.R.I. The band also pay tribute to Suicidal Tendencies by taking on “Subliminal”, the early favorite off their self-titled album of 1983 – perfect for Shawn’s Mike Muir-like moans next to the crossover shifts that kept this group relevant in the development of heavy music.
Punk rock and thrash when combined can elevate the energy to that youthful exuberance that is hard to resist. Supermodel Taxidermy lean into their love of those styles on At What Cost, creating an enthusiastic platter that channels its messages in short, solid songs that will get the hordes moving. Could be the best skater soundtrack to bust out those rad, death defying moves for 2024.
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