Reviewed by Christian Cunningham

In the same way a treasured relic from a bygone age may not be the height of fashion and yet still sit proudly displayed in a collector's show cabinet, Thresher's 'Here I Am' may well fall into such a category. This album from 1992 is thrash metal in the vein of 'Ride The Lightning' era Metallica or 'Rust In Peace' era Megadeth and now issued by Roxx for nostalgic moshers. Rather impressively recorded pretty much live, the guitar playing and musicianship on show is exceptional, with extended guitar breaks and bridge sections to mosh and die for. Working in dark, minor tones to evoke some deliciously brooding sections, Thresher masterfully riff and thrash, change tempo and throw in staccato stabs of snarling noise and then switch to haunting, melodious sections that transport the discerning listener to metal heaven. The title track is an excellent example of this; with its plucked verse and wailing lead guitar intro that gives way into a frantic mélange of riffs and then some blistering fret work in the guitar break, it's a veritable cornucopia of uncompromising sound that matches its lyrics. Thresher's approach to lyric writing is very direct; no cryptic, poetic musings here, they lay it all bare: "We're crucified with Jesus Christ/This life we live by faith in Him/No more to sin will we be bound". Does this album push any boundaries or add anything new to the current music scene? Of course not, and it's not released pretending to do so. This is a slice of '90s that will overcome you with nostalgia and educate anyone not around to appreciate it the first time just how the world sounded when thrash metal was considered one of the coolest sounds around.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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