If an album could be created in a lab for me, it would probably come close to sounding like this. Crossover thrash is one of my absolute favourite genres and this album delivers all the non-stop thrills I expected. Returning with their first album since 2013, Sydney thrashers Head in a Jar deliver a crushing half hour of absolute bangers. With the longest song just scraping over four minutes this album blasts by in a whirlwind of epic thrashing madness.
From the opening track, Comptroller of Nightmares the band burst out of the gates and barely ever lets up. Following this is probably my favourite cut of the album Androidz Anonymous (great title). I don’t say that easily as this record contains a plethora of intensely fun thrash scorchers, but the catchy chorus and driving verse riffs make this a very moshable track and song that sticks in my head well after listening. A few other highlights include the superb Slave to the microwave, containing some great gang vocals and very gnarly riffs. Also, the title track Free from the fridge is a fantastically fun song that had me moshing all over my living room.
This album embraces all the zany, tongue in cheek tendencies of crossover thrash, with comedic lyrics and fantastic song titles. However, this album is by no means style over substance with Head in a Jar backing up their levity with lighting speed riffs, crushing blasts, unrelenting vocals and incredibly groovy mid-tempo chugging. Fans of other modern crossover bands like Municipal Waste or Insanity alert this album will be exactly what you are looking for.
This album by no means reinvents the wheel of thrash, but it does provide a ton of good times and headbanging. By my standards that make for a fantastic thrash album.
Head in a Jar has proven with this album that they are one of the premier Aussie crossover bands and I absolutely cannot wait to mosh my brain away at one of their shows as soon as possible.
Release Year: 2020
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Jarrad Fisher
