Worship Metal Album Of The Week – Reanimator – Horns Up

Source // Reanimator

We may have arrived a little late to the party (fashionably obviously) but Reanimator’s latest opus (released back in June) is simply too damn good not to be Worship Metal’s Album of the Week….so we made it our album of the week regardless of when it was released!

Not to be confused with recently rejuvenated 80’s UK Thrashers Re-Animator, Canada’s Reanimator also ply their trade in 80’s inspired Thrash; the kind that embraced the true nature of early doors Thrash, all good-time groove, mosh-able riffs and chug-a-beer vibes.

Labelling themselves as Thrash ‘N’ Roll, this description sums up Reanimator’s approach perfectly with the humour and endlessly catchy hooks of Tankard, the crunch and aggression of Fabulous Disaster-era Exodus and the crossover appeal and HC influences of Municipal Waste resulting in a mosh-pit inducing Thrash-fest that harnesses enough positive energy to power a small country (one who’s population listens to nuthin’ but Thrash obviously)!

The song titles of this blinding little release give the game away instantly. From”The Mosh Master’s” commanding presence to the “The Toxic Waltz” homage of “Rush For The Mosh” and the call to arms that is the galvanizing “Electric Circle Pit”, each and every one of Horns Up‘s 9 tracks are winners; pure Thrashers imbibed with the spirit of those early 80’s pioneers. The high levels of humour and often upbeat riffing on display are neatly tethered by vocalist Patrick Martin’s high-speed gruff delivery – think ex-Exodus mainman Rob Dukes meets Defiance’s Steev Esquivel meets Tankard’s Andreas “Gerre” Geremia- grounding Reanimator’s antics and ensuring their culpable sense of fun never once feels trite or annoying.

Frankly, Reanimator have set about their task of pounding ears into submission with apparent ease. Horns Up simply Thrash’s hard! With no let-up, no remorse, no fannying around with oh-so-clever acoustic intros, no f*cking ballads and zero time wasted, this is one modern exercise in Thrash that hits harder than most. 

Horns up muther*ckers! 8/10 \m/