SPEED THEORY is one more band from Casket Music that is going to be reviewed by me. I have reviewed almost all of this label's releases! As I have seen, Casket has started signing many catchy bands (Hardcore, Metalcore, Thrash, even Grunge). This band is not something different from what I just said. What do these guys have to offer to the modern Metal sound? Let's find out...

This pretty fresh band was formed in the autumn of 2004. Its four members decided to form this band in order to create music that would be based on their influences from their favorite Metal bands. Their EP Vengeance (2005) was announced as Demo Of The Month in Metal Hammer magazine and this gave them the chance to tour the UK with bands like ILL NINO and DRY KILL LOGIC. After their contract with Casket, they released their debut album, Hit The Dirt.

SPEED THEORY is a band that plays a modern (there are times this word seems funny) style of Metal that is based on Thrash, Hardcore and Metalcore. The band's members say that the bands that have influenced their music are METALLICA, PANTERA, LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT and AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE. I would like to comment their influences a bit. SLIPKNOT? Are there any influences from this band and I couldn't notice them? I can say that regarding METALLICA and AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE they are right. There are many influences from these two bands and some times, they are obvious. Now, as a PANTERA and MACHINE HEAD worshiper, I would like to say that you must have HUGE BALLS to include these two bands in your influences, especially PANTERA! Two or three groovy riffs and a just good rhythm section are not even 10% of what PANTERA represented! Anyway, SPEED THEORY is a band that except from its catchy riffs and some brutal outbreaks has paid much attention to the melodic breaks. The bassist has done a very nice work regarding the backing vocals. The drummer is relentlessly smashing the drum kit and he really makes the tracks much heavier.

What makes me get a bit bored is the lack of new ideas. I mean, I know that this is the new and modern sound in the Metal scene, but there are many bands out there that are pretty similar to each other. Especially the vocals are almost the same in every band! Why don't you just throw the distortion away and try to sing with your own, unique voice? Where are the good times when Anselmo was giving free vocal lessons in every PANTERA album? In addition, I admit that the I am screaming my ass off and you sing with clean vocals on the bridge or the chorus style has become boring enough that Pop music seems much more diverse to me!

Overall, Hit The Dirt is a pretty nice album for all those who still haven't got bored of this style of music. It is not that it is crappy or stuff like that, it is just that with so many bands playing this kind of stuff out there, SAXON sound much more fresh and different to me!