Raging Speedhorn - Raging Speedhorn (Green Island)

After the demise of the much heralded and sadly missed UK noise-merchants Iron Monkey (tho' I seemed to be the only Irishman to like 'em) there was a hole in the Metal/Hardcore scene, a hole where noise, terror and violence reigned supreme. And nothing could fill this gap, not even the disappointing new releases from Brummie legends Napalm Death or US Deathsters Morbid Angel. Things were looking bad, real bad…

Until this bunch of scum-heads, from small town Taunton, England, crashed into the scene, snatching the crown left so carelessly by Iron Monkey and claimed it for their own. And man do they mean business. A snarling six-piece of two guitarists, one bassist, one drummer and two vocalists who, it must be said, not so much copied IM's sound but murdered it, exhumed it, then defiled it. "Songs" such as "Knives and faces", "Random acts of violence" and the peculiarly titled "Necrophiliac glue sniffer" gives you some idea as to where they are coming from, but it does little to describe the ferociousness of their music. All credit to producer John Fryer for capturing the savagery in the studio and laying it down on tape, you have to bear in mind that this is merely their debut, Jesus help us with what lies ahead! An astonishing record.

Ken McBlek