the return of the underground thrash masters...

Review Score: (6/10)
As incredible as it may seem, the unjustly underrated, true god fathers of UNDERGROUND thrash metal have been producing viable, practically ESSENTIAL thrash metal for close to 20 years. Starting things off with their 1982 debut ep "Armed and Dangerous", Razor had a special sound and an instant rapport with their rabid fans. Eventually, Razor would produce some of the finest, unrecognized thrash this side of Slayer, Metallica, and all of the other bands that were eventually lauded for their output ("Evil Invaders", "Violent Restitiution", and "Shotgun Justice" being equal to if not better than the thrash being churned out at the same time).

Eventually though, the financial strain of being a scrticly cult band became too much to overcome. "Exhumed", released in 1994, was their swansong, a double disc of their best songs. Founding member and main songwriter Dave Carlo wrote the bands epitaph (dated in 1992) included in the liner notes of the cd. Razor was not to produce any more of their special brand of thrash...but that was then and this is now.

8 long years later, Razor has been reborn! Sure, the guys are older, the songs are aren't as fast and their classic sound has been changed by a too crisp production (and that drum sound sounds horrifically like a drum machine!). Actually, if truth be told, "Decibels" is only an average Razor at best. With that said though, their is no denying that the band definitely have a hunger again, and are seemingly on the brink of creating another thrash metal masterpiece (if the riffs on "Open Hostility", "Violence Gun Control", and "Decibels" are any indicator).

So for the uninitiated, Razor will continue to be a non-entity. But for those who have seen the thrash movement INCLUDE and THRIVE with this incredible thrash act ("Decibels" makes their 10th recording if you include their debut ep and the aforementioned double cd), this cd is an essential purchase. Razor have never turned their backs on their loyal fans, and as a loyal, dedicated Razor fan, I will never turn my back on them...

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