Classic Albums: Wargasm - Why Play Around (1988)
It is very difficult, or at least complex, placing the exact role of Wargasm in context, even having recorded an absolute classic American thrash and undisputed as is this "Why Play Around?" His fame and recognition is years later light they might encounter in their day Slayer, Anthrax and Metallica, or even of an imaginary group of second row as Dark Angel, Sacred Reich or Death Angel. But in fact, if they are still remembered today, twenty years after the Boston trio began to publish her first demos, it's like a cult group with one of the best debuts of his style.
They were born, as we said, in Boston, a barren place for the Thrash scene which came to spearhead from his early days as a band, the parents of the child in question were Spillberg brothers, Rich (guitar) and Barry (drums), who by comparison became something like the Van Halen brothers of Thrash Metal. The kids then matched a strong learning their instruments with their passion for rock and heavy metal in general, especially the dirtiest and most powerful variant that they were coming directly from Britain labor groups as Motörhead, Tank, and even Venom.
Around 1985, together with another kid in his neighborhood, Bob May, who combines his passion for comics, black humor and horror films (hobbies he shared with Spillberg) with bass, an instrument to dominate with ease. Thus, they begin to rehearse under the name Maniac, who shortly after another name change to more ingenious: Wargasm. With him put down his dry humor and sarcastic, which would explode in their early models, Rainbows, Kittens, Flowers & Puppies "and" Satan My Lunch Money Store! ", Both published in 1986.
However, it took much more serious about recording their first album, which would see the light in 1988: in it, and we find a group to be incredibly mature for a debut album. We are facing some Wargasm appearing, as in the middle of nowhere, between the boom of thrash, which was already beginning to see early-clone bands. Therefore, the Thrash by now was only a reality in the global metal scene, and perhaps having arrived a little later than Testament (for example), was the cause of Wargasm would not get a much greater recognition at the time. Anyway, if they remember it as one of the most original moment, and that they did not need to resort to experimentation with other sounds, whether Hardcore (SOD, Cryptic Slaughter, and the countless stream of Crossover) or even Funky (Watchtower).
His originality was that, even making a high purity Thrash knew develop a sound very own, genuine, and quite characteristic. They were able to take a simple idea and twist it in a thousand ways to get a theme full of energy and strength without going to the excessive (for some) of the Swiss technical flourishes Coroner, the group with which, moreover, share many parallels.
Wargasm were a time bomb. Rich was an excellent guitar, so sure of his chances did not need a second guitarist supporting him and his brother Barry, popularly known as 'the most accurate foot along the East Coast' skills through the pedals, was a perfect machine gun rhythm for the group. And what of the great Bob, who was leading this wonderful group of friends, playing bass as a real monster and singing lyrics quite successful. They used to have a degree of reality still trying on terror and / or dry humor: he himself said he did not feel comfortable singing to people about social problems, say people should think or do, nor resorting to violence, according to them unnecessarily, about Slayer. His lyrics on terror, humor acid or post-apocalyptic visions tended to hide behind some great truth, a postcard of the reality of the time.
All Wargasm essence, what they were and what they will be, reflected masterfully in his debut album, "Why Play Around?" Where we find a breath of fresh air for the Thrash. The album picked up old issues that are basically composed and played from the start, except two ( "Revenge" and "Wargasm."
Open the album "Wasteland", a terrific mid-tempo to win some more speed at the end, we find as authentic riffs that fall bombs: its strength and magnetism made him a theme with real hook that has gone through to become one of the Top trio to record. And let's not talk of "Revenge" sacred manna for lovers of Thrash: this is a broad field of seven minutes, in which the word 'boredom' or 'sameness' is a term too distant and incomprehensible. A highlight of the paper by Barry on drums, who knows more than give a special dynamism to this song.
Follow the feast with the fantastic "Bullets & Blades", built on a very technical riff demonstrating masterful control over his instrument Spillberg Rich. Its refrain, certainly catchy, and so devastating that end, what eventually emerged as an undisputed anthem for every follower of the group. "Undead", meanwhile, begins with a strange, dark tranquility, which ends in a violent break with a subject of more intense Thrash Metal. This is a quick topic, essentially in a spirit similar to "Fight Fire With Fire" by Metallica ... in short, an intense and frantic theme does not lull the listener.
The rest gives only a brief interlude "Merritt's Girlfriend", which despite not having great value in itself, represents a time after a song as intense as the previous post ... and since, because, like thunder, comes immediately "Sudden Death" to make clear that there's no respite. The very title indicates: it is a brutal mid-tempo, full of magic and compelling riffs and few, after the solo (again, Rich is out), the issue leads to a faster pace. Then, with "Wargasm" reaches the largest theme of the album, and certainly one of the great classics. It begins in a surprisingly smooth (almost with an air circus), ending riffs giving way to completÃsimos (which has some breathtaking hikes) on which to build a complex composition, varied, with a large letter. This is followed by "Le Cou Cou", an experimental interlude where Rich demonstrated by piece heavily influenced by Renaissance and Baroque music, not only his great mastery of the six strings, but their knowledge of musical harmony. The finishing touch puts the overwhelming "Humanoid", another cut is fast and intense that a perfect ending to an album like this.
After the publication of "Why Play Around?" Wargasm, if they wanted, they could increase their legend, but in this case the circumstances were not too favorable. Published two albums, "Ugly" (1993) and "Suicide Notes" (1995), plus a lot of material scattered in the form of demos, singles and EP's along time, in short, lacking the subsequent material magic that had its debut album, a classic that, rather than be underestimated, has been overshadowed by other releases from other bands. In any case, a job that anyone who presumes to love the Thrash should have on their shelves as gold cloth.
Source: Metal4All.net
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