UNCLE SLAM — Will Work For Food (review)

UNCLE SLAM — Will Work For Food album cover Album · 1993 · Crossover Thrash Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Will Work For Food" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US, California based crossover thrash metal act Uncle Slam. The album was released through Restless Records in January 1993. It´s been almost 5 years since the release of the band´s debut full-length studio album "Say Uncle (1988)". The three-piece lineup who recorded the debut album is intact on "Will Work For Food": Todd Moyer (vocals, guitars), Simon Oliver (bass, backing vocals), and Amery AWOL Smith (drums, percussion, backing vocals). While it may appear that there have been no lineup changes in the period between the two album releases, Simon Oliver was actually out of the band from 1988-1991 and in that period first Louie Mayorga (Los Cycos, Suicidal Tendencies) and then Angelo Espino (Bitch, Heretic) took over the bass duties.

Stylistically the material on "Will Work For Food" is a slightly more mature and thrashy continuation of the crossover thrash metal style of "Say Uncle (1988)". The powerful and raw sound production makes the music sound sharp, heavy, and aggressive, and it´s a clear upgrade from the less powerful sound of the predecessor. Todd Moyer has a raw sandpaper delivery, and the tracks feature one raw and powerful riff after another. While Uncle Slam don´t sound exactly like their contemporaries (at least not in a clone type way) they do belong the the same crossover thrash metal school as artists like Suicidal Tendencies, Beowülf, and Excel.

The material on the 11 track, 40:33 minutes long album is well written and quite effective. It´s hard edged, aggressive, and raw. Raw lead vocals, riot gang shouting backing vocals, fast- and mid-paced heavy riffs and rhythms, and a generally healthy focus on cathiness. You don´t have to listen to the album many times to be able to sing along to most of the tracks (at least the chorus parts). Tracks like "Hangin' In The Hood", the title track, and the rather unconventional but really great cover of "Dazed & Confused" by Led Zeppelin, are some of the highlights on the album, but there are only few unremarkable tracks on the album, and it´s overall a pretty strong release.

It´s not perfect though, and while the sound production is mostly of a good quality, it does feel like a bit of an odd choice to put an effect on the vocals, to make them sound like they were recorded in an empty bathroom. The drums could have featured a slightly more organic sound too, but other than those minor sound related issues, "Will Work For Food" is a relatively well sounding release. It´s not groundbreaking within its genre (considering this was released in 1993, the crossover thrash metal scene wasn´t exactly experiencing its heyday), and you won´t hear anything here, you haven´t heard before, but it´s a solid release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is definitely deserved, and may even be a bit too low.
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