ONSLAUGHT soldiers on, and you have to admire them for that. They recently lost long-time vocalist Sy Keeler, but barely missed a step, coming up with new man Dave Garnett. They also resolutely continue playing high speed thrash metal in ’80s style.
Why, then, does Generation Antichrist come across as so generic? The sound of the album is that of a million and one other modern thrash albums. ONSLAUGHT’s ancient debut Power From Hell was crudely produced and murky, but still remains their most memorable opus, but Generation Antichrist seems to have come off a thrash metal assembly line. I can’t fault ONSLAUGHT for speed, which is as relentless as ever, nor is their actual playing ability suspect. The record to me just seems to lack a soul, something to make it stand out. This has been a trademark of the band’s recent output.
When listening to the actual album, I can’t deny ‘Religiousuicide’ and ‘Bow Down To The Clowns’ are rippers. But I think a week or two after hearing this, I’ll be hard pressed to remember it. If you’re looking for a quick kick in the pants, thrash metal style, Generation Antichrist will suffice. It’s just so faceless.
Review By: Dr. Abner Mality
ONSLAUGHT
Generation Antichrist
AFM Records
2.5 / 6