Tankard is a thrash metal band from Germany formed in 1982 and is recognised as one of the four pioneers of German thrash, along with Destruction, Kreator and Sodom – better known as the Teutonic Four. The band have released seventeen studio albums during their four decades at the forefront of the worldwide thrash metal scene. Thematically, Tankard has focused on alcohol use and partying for many of their albums – such as ‘The Morning After’ (1988), ‘Stone Cold Sober’ (1992), ‘Kings Of Beer’ (2000), ‘The Beauty And The Beer’ (2006), and ‘R.I.B. (Rest In Beer)’ (2014). More recent albums have concentrated on other subjects such as politics, dropping the beer theme, maybe in an attempt to be taken as a more serious band. But as for thrash metal, Tankard is deadly serious, thrashing the world into submission for over forty years with a crushing blend of brutality, ferocity, and speed!
With the release of ‘Pavlov’s Dawgs’ (2022), the band now have a catalogue of eighteen (studio) albums – the second most by a thrash metal band! A feat only bettered (as of 2022) by American legends Overkill – who has released nineteen! Yes, readers, not even any of the “Big 4” can match these two…
yet! Only Megadeth get anywhere near with sixteen! And if I’ve got my numbers wrong, or you know of a thrash metal band that has released more – then do let me know. But for now – let’s get back to the matter at hand…the new album from Tankard. Ten songs and fifty-five fast-paced and ferocious minutes of neck-breaking, skull-crushing, bone-snapping, and quite frankly, fucking fantastic thrash metal. The album gets underway with (presumably) the title song ‘Pavlov’s Dawg’, and tension fuelled one minute intro that places you right on the edge of your seat – only for Tankard to knock you flying off with a sudden and highly destructive change of pace and power: ‘Pavlov’s Dawg’ a rip-roaring scorcher of a tune! Heads will be rocking fast and very hard…
…as the band storm on with the traditional metal-edged ‘Ex-Fluencer’ – demonstrating the age-old classic “foot on the monitor” feel. Tankard has always managed to cater for thrashers and metal traditionalists throughout their entire career, seamlessly carving out a prolific trail of headbang ability. Nodding their heads back to their alcohol-themed days, the band party on with the heaviest song heard so far – the beer-soaked ‘Beerbarians’, raising a glass high and delivering a heavy anthemic edge. Tankard calling their legions of fans and followers to arms with a rabble-rousing anthem to chant, sing and scream! And without a pause for a breather, the album steams on with the blistering ‘Diary Of A Nihilist’ – a powerhouse of a thrash metal romp that will send every mosh pit into overdrive, instantly creating walls of death. What a song, what an album, and what a band!
Bringing forth a little menace not heard so far, Tankard takes a sinister approach for ‘Veins Of Terra’ – a crescendo-building march of thundering thrash that eventually breaks into a fast-paced barrage of fire and brimstone. Swinging from all-out thrash to a more traditional tornado, ‘Veins Of Terra’ is a boundary breaker of the highest order. With a higher sinister level than the previous song, the band hit top gear with the scorching ‘Memento’ – setting new land speed records as it scorches the Earth it hurtles across! Tankards have been performing at the highest level for over forty years, losing none of their passion or energy for delivering high-performance thrash metal. And talking of high performance – ‘Metal Cash Machine’ is the crème de la crème of the album! It’s heavy. It’s fast, and it’s infectious!
Everything great about thrash metal is contained within ‘Metal Cash Machine’s six-and-a-half minute run time – including a cracking melodious intent. Simply superb – there are no other words.
Tankard may be seen as thrash veterans entering the twilight of their career, but boy, they’re nowhere near the end – ‘Pavlov’s Dawgs’ are proving the band are as good now as they have ever been! The new album knocks spots off many newer and younger bands that are around today. With a mellow slide into ‘Dark Self Intruder’, Tankard builds a highly anticipative intro, allowing the band punch and crunch to come crashing in before storming off at a traditional metal pace – the band once again breaking boundaries to cater for a wide array of listeners. Ramping up the pace and power, ‘Lockdown Forever’ is a red hot scorching rampage of all-out thrash – hugely head bang-able and an absolute barnstorming barrage of savagery, probably the most savage song of all!
Bringing the album to a close is the longest song on offer, ‘On The Day I Die,’ clocking in at six minutes and forty-five seconds. Mellow to begin with, ‘On The Day I Die’ builds and builds to become an all-out thrash metal fury. And fierce, too – the band thundering along, banging the heads of every fan, follower and listener from all around the world.
Overall, a thrash metal avalanche that is weighty, thunderous, and highly infectious, ‘Pavlov’s Dawgs’ sizzles with energy and passion.
TRACKLIST
Pavlov’s Dawg
Ex-Fluencer
Beerbarians
Diary Of A Nihilist
Veins Of Terra
Memento
Metal Cash Machine
Dark Self Intruder
Lockdown Forever
On The Day I Die
Tankard: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Reaper Entertainment
Category: Album
Country: Germany
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
