Demolition Hammer - Time Bomb (1994)^{Release ID: 1476}

As I continue my ultimate Pit test, I thought I would review the remaining Demolition Hammer album to fill in the gap. I'm amazed about what an underrated album Time Bomb is! I mean, this is the album where they abandoned most of the deathly thrash from their first two albums for the groove metal that was taking over the reign, but it made me have a great feeling about the genre! I might just be looking forward to the groove metal part of the test...

Apparently, Time Bomb was to be a different project, but it was still released as Demolition Hammer. New fans might be up for it, while longtime fans may not. Drummer Vinny Daze (dead from globefish poisoning, RIP) and fast soloing wizard James Reilly are out. Drummer Alex Marquez comes in, and so does the Hammer's new groove.

The album begins with a 15-second intro audio sample from Prince Of The City where a couple guys plan to lock someone up, yelling "F*** him! F*** them! F*** you!... F*** YOU!!!" Then "Under the Table" sets up what to expect in the album; heavy yet simple riffing in the face. There are also some samples from the films Serpico and Scarface. Next song "Power Struggle" stands out as a 5-minute sludge-ish groove metal epic (all other songs are just 3 to 4 minutes long).

"Mindrot" is also slow in a way similar to a blend of Pantera and Obituary. The guitar soloing absence may lets many metalheads, but it gets things more to the point. That also can also be said for "Bread and Water". Then "Missing: 5/7/89" is effective despite the lack of thrash fury. However, the earlier sound returns for the outro of "Waste".

Rocking out hard in the guitars is "Unidentified", though the basic repetition in the structure doesn't do the song any favors. "Blowtorch" stands out in some deathly riffing to remind some of Malevolent Creation. I like their cover of Devo's "Mongoloid" (despite the title being a derogatory word for someone with Down syndrome), fitting well for this different sound. The title track is almost different from the rest of the album, as f***ing heavy and fast as the other Demolition Hammer albums in its second half.

Yeah, I know, Time Bomb is all different and repetitive, but guess what? It's almost as enjoyable as their Teutonic Big 4-inspired speedy thrash albums. Time Bomb would be better appreciated by fans of Pantera and Machine Head. The slower heaviness might turn off longtime fans. Let's hope for more of this band since their recent reformation!

Favorites: "Under the Table", "Power Struggle", "Mindrot", "Blowtorch", "Time Bomb"