Modern Metal bands seem to have a knack for crossover metal - for them it's not enough to take the aggressiveness of Thrash Metal. The violence of Punk and the emotion of Hardcore is needed as well. Taking after Brazilian legends SEPULTURA and what they did with their 1996 groundbreaker "Roots", Portuguese Groove Metallers PRIMAL ATTACK released a fresh dose of hardcore-mixed-thrash goodness with Humans, their first full-length.

The energy that is encapsulated by PRIMAL ATTACK was immediately apparent with the opening track "Safe and Strong", a killer track that proudly showed of vocalist Pica's chiseled and crisp vocals. The thing about crossover is that it's always less reliant on the roots of Thrash Metal - making it easy game for purists to target. But the other thing about crossover is that the other influences, whether it be hip hop or punk or hardcore, easily make it far more listenable and in the case of PRIMAL ATTACK, groovy.

With the smooth bass riffs and simple yet catchy guitar riffs, the record seems to be all set for receptive criticism, especially since it sounds relatively less obscure than most of their Thrash counterparts. However, the way in which the music is performed is done with such rigor and viciousness at some points that the music seems to hardly have left dodgy basements - Thrash's favorite venue pastime. With this raw and energetic sound, PRIMAL ATTACK channels the influences of bands such as D.R.I and STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH. It's not to say that they are very raw. They happen to be blessed with access to exquisite production equipment, making their sound all the more fine-tuned and sharp. It doesn't sounds like the Thrash of the 80's because it's not - it's taken the finer things of the NWOAHM and combined them with the influence of the past.

Just like most crossover albums, this one is also shorter than most generic metal albums are. It's a churning, burning 33 minutes that leaves your pulse thumping and ears ringing, that is, if you listen to it as loud as I do - which is at max volume. Like most underground acts, there tends to be an unpolished feel to the way the music is written, but it somehow managed to add an extra flavor of that raw devil-may-care attitude - something that spices up any crossover genre perfectly.

With all that young vigor, I can only see the band continuing to learn and progress. There are some areas to fine-tune in terms of songwriting and some technical aspects, but the band seems to be very comfortable where they are now - it's a glove that fits perfectly and brings out the best of each band member. They have all the time in the world, but I can't help but think of their future. It is hopefully one that is full of promise and most importantly, lots and lots of headbanging.