Rockfreaks.net

Forbidden

Omega Wave

Written by: EW on 20/12/2010 11:30:05

Hi all, it's been a while. 'Busy' would fail to describe how my life has been recently and with a review sack bulging greater than Santa's right now I am particularly keen to begin making some inroads once again, especially with a yearly round-up due and some potential contender albums still in the offing. I start with the return of another group of old thrashers, Forbidden and their work "Omega Wave", marking a first recorded appearance since 1997's "Green". While "Omega Wave" is not destined to become one of my 'album of the year' contenders I can declare at this early juncture however that does not stop it still being one of the best thrash albums I've heard in a bit, especially when compared against the lacklustre efforts of many of their 80's colleagues.

Breaking the ice with an instrumental/build-up piece that is worth listening to rather than skipping through for a change, "Forsaken At The Gates" as a first track proper is a humdinger telling all there is to know about Forbidden, past and present. In their 80s heyday Forbidden always a retained a more 'intelligent' feel to their thrashing than many contemporaries and this technically developed know-how feels strongly akin to latter day Nevermore (a band world renowned for their technical accomplishments) through Craig Locicero/Steve Smyth's ambitious soloing and riff construction and Russ Anderson's Warrel Dane-esque vocal protestations in highlight tracks "Adapt Or Die" and "Dragging My Casket" (replete with built-for-live vocal melodies).

Given Forbidden's willingness to sail apart of the congested middle zone of absent-minded thrash-by-numbers the beefy modern production afforded them here works better than the countless acts supposedly high on anger yet similarly polished all the same. The political overtones in "Chatter" and "Immortal Wounds" mark Forbidden as every bit the conscientious thrashers, a fact alone that garners them extra merit in my severely thrash-addled brain, and while songs like "Inhuman Race" and "Behind The Mask" have lost some of the impetus of early on Forbidden's return to action is one I am pleasantly surprised about to acclaim. Perhaps it was that they never truly made it back in the day and thus have more to prove to the next generation but "Omega Wave" is a worthy addition to the Bay Area cannon and that I believe it to be one of the best thrash records of the last 2 or 3 years speaks as much as to the quality of all else released and it does Forbidden circa 2010.

Download: Adapt Or Die, Dragging My Casket, Forsaken At The Gates
For The Fans Of: Nevermore, Toxik, Heathen
Listen: Myspace

Release date: 22.10.2010
Nuclear Blast Records