Havok - Time Is Up

I was impressed with Havok's last album "Burn" but now their latest "Time Is Up" just blows me away. This is some old-school inspired thrash that doesn't sound like it came from the 80s. On the contrary it doesn't sound out of place at all in the current metal scene; I think it's a nice combination of old and new.

At times throughtout this album i've heard things like a scream that sounded straight off of "Reign in Blood" and various riffs that brought to mind Megadeth and Forbidden, but at the same time Havok does not sound like a copy of any of these bands. (Note - as I was writing this last bit I heard a riff that was a dead ringer for Slayer's "Postmortem" and was about to revise that last sentence when I realized....it actually WAS a cover of "Postmortem". So I guess that can be forgiven lol.)

I've heard bands cover Slayer before and I've never once thought the cover did anything close to justice to the original. Now, Slayer's version will always be the best, but I have to say this cover is pretty damn listenable. It stands well on its own and I have to give it the nod.

I've nothing more to say, i'm starting the album over to listen to it again. I highly recommend this album. Go get it. Now.