I may have mentioned in prior reviews that I am on a huge Thrash Metal kick right now. I have always loved the genre for most of my Metal life, but for some reason, it has been truly resonating with me lately. Be it fast cars, the political situation here in the U dumbasS of A or just that fixation for the almighty riff. Sign me up, I’m on board.
On a recent trip to Canada, I happened to come across Zero Tolerance. Who, of course, are on frequent rotation with me. It was initially a flyer I spied, and I took a mental note to get reacquainted with the band. I will say now I’m so glad I did.
What Zero Tolerance gives us is a cross between early Metallica (trust me, you will hear those moments) and a bit of Kreator during the ‘Terrible Certainty’ period. Also, you will get a small dose of Atheist. Why, you may ask? Well, some interesting time changes are happening, along with quirky start/stop rhythms that may throw some people off. Nothing quite to the level of tech godz Atheist, mind you, but just enough to make things interesting and make Zero Tolerance not just your average cookie-cutter Thrash band. The way I see it makes for a fun, rollicking listen with these bits of ear candy, so it gives a much more enjoyable listening experience. Believe me, from the moment you press play, you will have that grin on your face as well.
Besides, maybe being a slightly atypical Thrash band, there is much for the standard aficionado to grab onto as well, and also maybe just to stand up and say “Damn! This is badass.” Now, we all know no self-respecting thrash band worth its salt can come to the table without its riffing intact. I am glad to report that both Nate Yarrow (Lead Guitars & Vox) and Eve Copeland (Rhythm Guitars) have locked that down.
Speaking of guitars, I did say you will also hear some Metallica-isms, and it’s mainly in the song structures and phrasings, and also the guitar riffs themselves, but it’s nothing to be considered an imitation by any means. Do you remember when you first heard ‘Hit The Lights’ and or ‘Jump In The Fire’? Well, songs like ‘Point Blank’ and different moments of ‘Leather Lung’ will give you those warm, cuddly feelings you had then, but in the here and now. Beyond just that, I can go on about how many reasons to give this a go. How about the production? It’s spot on and not too over-produced, and has that late 80s feel. It has that slightly trebly, a bit monotone feel without coming across as too overproduced. This makes the band, while still in their youth, come across very well, full of energy and vigor, and not overly clinical in their approach. Trust me, Thrash bands do not want that. It’s gotta be fast, raw, and dirty.
Overall, l I will say the album just has a sound and feel that is rooted in the late 80s Thrash movement. Now I will give you one negative, and trust me, I am truly bummed about this. The bass player, it seems, is no longer with the group. He definitely makes his presentation known amongst the songs. I mentioned the clarity of the production, and someone in the Zero Tolerance camp understood this and gave Mr Petrie a welcome time to shine. Take a listen to ‘Incendiary’ to appreciate what I speak of. There are cool little moments when you hear the bass, and it adds some flavor to the proceedings. I hope they get a replacement who is a worthy addition to his predecessor’s output. I mentioned them on my consistent must-listen-to list; I own their 2024 EP ‘Tender Is The Flesh’, and I can say there has been a welcome uptick in the quality of the material.
So, if you were disappointed with the latest Exodus and you appreciate some good late 80s Thrash with a nod to some of the above bands I mention at the top of my review, it wouldn’t hurt you to take a look.
