BLACK LIGHT - Name of the One review

BLACK LIGHT - Name of the One

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From what I see and read in the music media the big thing in the thrash genre is a love of "hyphenated thrash" (aka: progressive, tech, groove, or whatever the fuck name you wanna dream up). It's like anything but actual thrash is the new meme, again. Yeah I saw this coming years ago and it's not exclusive to just this one genre. I'm not totally against styles of music evolving but there comes a time when an act has moved on to other things and that old moniker doesn't apply anymore. Of course some scribes will clutch on to that thrash moniker for street cred purposes but I'll bet they have no problem telling you when METALLICA stopped being a thrash band.

Now contrary to that meme are BLACK LIGHT hailing from Slovakia. Obviously their name had me thinking stoner rock but no this young four piece are full on old school thrash which to me is the only style I like from the genre. Remember that little o'l thrash revival from years back? My favorite band from back then was MERCILESS DEATH, so yeah I like it original.  BLACK LIGHT are not trying to revive the sounds of the Big Thrash Four. No what I find really cool is how they remind me of the second or third tier bands (that's not a negative) of the first era. Secondly they have some early hardcore elements to their sound which is also cool.

Name the One is a quick eight track release of raw angry thrash. I love how the vocalist is yelling at you instead of screaming or singing. Musically it reminds me of some late 80's bands who had one foot in the metal scene and the other in hardcore. No not "crossover" because that was a promotion gimmick. Not "metalcore" either because those bands all sucked especially the ones from Boston and NYC, plus the straightedge bands were metallic pussies. And we're not talking speed metal either people. Back around 1987-89 here in the states you had a small contingent of bands, mostly from the West Coast but some in the Midwest, who were deliberately mixing both genres.  

BLACK LIGHT are doing hardcore style riffs which later became thrash staples once they were cleaned up. The soloing is not insanely technical or long, especially since all their songs are short less than 4 minute blasts. There's some shout out lyrics which is another old hardcore staple. Listening to this is cool as fuck but you know these guys will hone their craft and become SLAYER or VIO-LENCE. Still if you're on a search for the true shit then here ya go.

Rating: 4/5   

http://www.supug.cz/?black-light-name-of-the-one,118

https://www.facebook.com/kapelablacklight/?fref=ts


The singer's got a MISFITS shirt on in the video. Am I right or what?