(We present Wil Cifer‘s review of the first Atrophy album in 34 years, recently released by Massacre Records.)
Despite growing up on it in the ’80s I do not cover much thrash. Most of the new thrash bands just fetishize the sound of Combat Records bands circa 1985. While that was a pivotal time for metal, nostalgia only goes so far. Arizona thrashers Atrophy were never a household name when it came to thrash, but their 1988 album Socialized Hate was an overlooked classic. I gave the album an overdue revisiting, before diving into the band’s first album in 34 years.
The first thing that is evident here is that, at 59 years of age, sole founding member Brian Zimmerman’s voice has held up extremely well, for a vocalist who has not been all that active over the years. His delivery on this album carries the familiar narrative of their earlier work, though it seems he has spent some time thinking about what he did on those albums, as the phrasing is more nuanced.
The session players Zimmerman gathered to make this album might not be big names of thrash, but hungry players who took the opportunity and stepped up to show they were just as capable as any of the veteran thrash bands out there.
“Seeds of Sorrow” carries plenty of grit and highlights how a band like Power Trip drew plenty of influence from the more underground thrash bands. The riffing on this album packs in an ample amount of crunchy hooks. This helps to provide enough groove to bang your head to.
From a songwriting perspective, they wisely refrain from giving in to the temptation of laying on the speed and making the songs feel rushed. They allow the songs to breathe with melodic passages to provide needed dynamic shifts. It is not until “Bleeding Out” that they race into a more breakneck speed, which is balanced out by an impressive groove. If they had rocked out like this in 1988 they would now be thought of in the same light as Testament.
The only moment that feels like filler is “American Dream”, but the song still rocks more effectively than most of the metal I have heard so far this year. Unlike some metal gods, it does not sound like Zimmerman asked AI to write an album that sounds like what the next Atrophy record should sound like, but went into this wanting to make the most of the production tools of today, rather than digging out old Peavy amps and B.C Rich guitars.
His willingness to experiment extends into actual singing at the beginning of “Close My Eyes”. The verse riff to this song is a fucking ripper. They maintain this momentum for “The Apostle”. This album is catchy enough that I find myself returning to it for repeat listens. With each listen, the album continues to grow on me. It is not a perfect album, but it might be even better than what the band did in the ’80s.
If you are a fan of the band then of course this album is a must. If you are a fan of thrash who is not familiar with this band, then this album is highly recommended, as it provides an ample entry point for their vision of what thrash can be in 2024.
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