MANIAC

Ready for still more drunken, rollicking '80s thrash revival? You'd better be, because it doesn't sound like Canada's MANIAC intends to take no for an answer. This trio of Toronto throwbacks bash out nine quick and filthy anthems to all things evil, demon-besotted and insane, with the kind of clattering production and give-em-hell intensity that gets the blood of any true thrash fan boiling.

Like MERCILESS DEATH before them, MANIAC positively stink of authenticity, lacking even that band's crystalline production to give away the true recording date. "Fast and Deadly" has that "turn it all up to 11" overdriven no-budget sound, which works like a charm on these rhythmically aggressive tunes. Vocalist Jonny Exciter (the band is rounded out by Paul E. Pervertis and Chris Six Stix — three guesses what he plays) delivers those sort of breathy, quasi-melodic, NWOBHM-on-crack vocals that are more punk whine than proto-death snarl; they work great here, aided by some bellowing gang vox come chorus time. Highlights include the title track, the driving "Fight to the Death", and the relentless manifesto that is the band's anthem, "Maniac". But really, as in most albums like this, individual tracks tend to mash together into one intoxicating blur of barely-controlled riffs and breakneck tempos.

So are MANIAC worth seeking out over the improbable hordes of bands keeping '80s thrash alive (or at least reanimated) these days? Ultimately, when there are so many people doing something so stylistically narrow, your choice of who to follow comes down to feel and vibe. MANIAC have that basement-show fervor, the raucous don't-give-a-fuck of old RAZOR or VOIVOD with the unglued mania of the most rabid Bay Area or German kill squads. "Fast and Deadly" more than lives up to its name, and adds "violent", "noisy" and "ugly" to its list of adjectives as well. Little in the way of skills, finesse, or social graces, but all sorts of denim-backpatch attitude, and the kind of songs that make you wanna scream yourself hoarse while beating the everloving shit out of some like-minded sweaty drunks. Recommended.