Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation [Red]

Red vinyl suits Hazardous Mutation perfectly, the 2005 album where Municipal Waste fully defined their blend of thrash speed and hardcore punk attitude.

Two decades back, the Richmond crew were leading a new wave of bands rediscovering the speed and fun of the original crossover scene. This was their first record for Earache, and it carried that energy to a much wider audience without trimming any of the chaos.

Unleash the Bastards bursts out of the gates after a short intro, setting a pace that rarely lets up. Terror Shark is gleefully absurd B-movie thrash, Mind Eraser is a tight, ferocious sprint, and Guilty of Being Tight wears its crossover heart on its sleeve.

Most songs say what they need to and get out, packed with gang shouts, whiplash tempo changes and riffs that recall classic thrash from the 1980s. It is the sound of a band having the time of their lives and inviting everyone into the pit, with lyrics about sharks, parties and mayhem delivered completely straight-faced.

If The Art of Partying is the party, Hazardous Mutation is the warm-up that set the room on fire. Loud, fast and endlessly fun, it still delivers every time the needle drops.