Thrash should leave you breathless, busted-up, and maybe even a little drunk (in a cutoff denim vest adorned with barely legible patches). Since 2001, Municipal Waste have uncompromisingly stuck to their guns as hard-partying and even harder-hitting torchbearers of 21st century thrash metal. The Richmond, VA quintet have transformed from a cult favorite into metal mainstays for a generation. Along the way, Decibel touted 2007’s The Art of Partying in its coveted “Hall of Fame” and asserted it “revved up interest in thrash and inspired a fresh wave of youthful new bands.” Metal Hammer christened The Art of Partying one of “The 50 Greatest Thrash Metal Albums Ever,” while Loudwire pegged The Art of Partying as “The Best Thrash Album of 2007” and Hazardous Mutation as “The Best Thrash Album of 2005.” The guys have sold out countless shows on multiple continents and piled up tens of millions of streams in the process. 2017’s Slime and Punishment bowed in the Top 3 of the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart, and The Last Rager EP only accelerated their momentum in 2019. However, Municipal Waste maintain course as vicious and vital as ever on 2022’s Electrified Brain. Recorded in Philadelphia with producer Arthur Rizk [Power Trip, Code Orange], they achieved “a thicker and heavier sound” than before. The debut single “Grave Dive” hinges on a downright mean palm-muted riff as a percussive onslaught commences. It builds towards a gang chant call-and-response before a lead rips. “It’s in the vein of songs like ‘Headbanger Face Rip’ and ‘Wave of Death’,” vocalist Tony Foresta notes. “It’s an inspirational song for our fans to cause bodily harm to themselves, but in a fun and healthy way, of course.” “High Speed Steel” practically splits asphalt with its jagged thrashing. Elsewhere, the title track “Electrified Brain” charges forward on a breakneck riff as a solo wails underneath the vocal snarl. “Crank The Heat” trudges over a thick doomy groove into menacing verses. In the end, Electrified Brain will give you everything you’d want from a Municipal Waste record or heavy metal record, period. Blue Marble vinyl
