Phonebook Eater 6/10

"Time Is Up" is most definitely one to check out.

Havok is an American Thrash Metal band that has been until this moment pretty obscure. 2011 seems like a good year for discovering new bands and albums, and Havok's "Time Is Up" is most definitely one to check out.

Since “Time Is Up” is most definitely and old school Thrash record, people have been making a lot of comparisons as well as complaints for being a little too nostalgic and bringing up in an excessive way the classic Thrash bands from the 80’s and 90’s. As far as the comparisons go, the most notable influence is Megadeth, particularly the Rust In Peace era. However, David Sanchez’s vocals are nothing like Dave Mustaine’s; a lot more dirty, rough and lot of yelling, kind of like Kreator’s Millie Petrozza. The production is one of the best and cleanest I’ve heard this year so far; despite that, the bass sounds and the guitars are very thrashy and crunchy, so don’t panic if I say it’s clean production. But I don’t agree about the nostalgia and revivalism complaints; despite the music is highly influenced, it sounds a lot like a modern and 2011 album, without being retro-metal or vintage.

The album has ten songs, wrapped up in forty minutes; The songs have pretty much the same mood, and there isn’t much variety between the songs. Those few ideas on the other hand mostly work, creating a great and fun listen for a metalhead (Yep, head banging guaranteed!). Highlights for me were almost all the songs from the second half of the album, like “Killing Tendencies”, “the Cleric”, or “Scumbag In Disguise”. But the first half of the album didn’t do much for me, in fact at half way I thought that I wasn’t going to like the album. But, like I said, the second half compensates.

A good album overall, not the best out there in metal, but if you’re a Thrash fan you’ll most definitely love this, and put it in you’re albums of the year lists.