There is nothing that can stop an eager person from reaching a set goal. There is nothing that has the ability to stop a raging storm from tearing everything apart at will. Also, no one has the nuts to stop a course of a rampaging moshpit, there will be blood upon the stage, and that is for certain. So who can stop a pack of Italians that are at their starting point of infecting mayhem and obliteration? Probably only themselves, which I doubt it will ever happen anytime soon. So I got to know the newcomer ASSAULTER from Taranto, Apulia, another joining member to the vast new wave of Thrash Metal. Just recently, through the Thrash protecting label, EBM Records, the band's debut "Meat Grinder" saw the light of day, even when smeared in bestial vomit. Buckle up because this is going to be very fast.

Drawing their robust energies and tamed musical direction of such icons as SLAYER / MUNICIPAL WASTE / RAZOR / SODOM / KREATOR, I don't believe that you need to have too much expectations out this band, as the song remains the same and fairly known. When it comes to Thrash Metal, the cards are on the table right from the first song, at least when regarding an old school driven act such as ASSAULTER. Nevertheless, whether the music might not hint of a genuine image, there will always be a difference between albums, always each to its own. "Meat Grinder" proclaims the band's maniacal sense of speed, a never ending surge of machine gun frenzy that has endless fuel. More than any other influence, the SLAYER elements are the most noticeable in the album's progress, especially in soloing, where there is that same distinction between Hanneman and King, sound pattern and rhythm guitar riffs. Other aspects in the mix that were retained from the American heroes were the rapid passages between sections, which were well performed. Although not putting their weight on originality, I could sense ASSAULTER's passion and honesty between the lines, ASSAULTER proved themselves as adamant in the direction they follow and are true to it in full extent.

The band's impulsiveness led them to producing a sort of material that could lead them forward with enough room to perfect themselves in the future. I tended more towards their serious stuff, the tunes that they weren't kidding around in and less blindly shooting at Punk or Hardcore, such as on the crushing "Dead End Siding", war of the apocalypse "After the Countdown" and their self-titled effort that opens up the gates, "Assaulter". I can also add the intense speedster "Mind Control", at first a lot of mess but quickly building up to be a thrashy promise. When push comes to shove, ASSAULTER also showed that they know to party or make fun of itchy moments such as on "Bestial Vomit" or criticize the industry as on "Pay To Play".

Never anticipated for something that would shake down the foundations of the genre, but the chances were slim anyway. ASSAULTER has been strongly following an idea, an image that they want to pursue, and serve it with dedication and conviction. For a debut album, this is a good result.