CRAZY MAD RIDE are from Dawsonville, Georgia and they were formed in 2020. The band play a mixture of Thrash Metal and Thrash n’ Roll and released three singles so far. Their debut EP “Life, Liberty, Death” has a length of almost 24 minutes. It was released via Latvian label Sliptrick Records, which has many alternative and Heavy Metal as well as Hardrock bands among their current roster.

The EP has a thunderous start with “Lunacy”. The riffing is crushing, and the vocals are harsh mostly at the deeper end of the vocal range. There is a lot of background vocal support, which is an important element of the sound of this song. It is a mid-tempo track, but it comes with a few variations in tempo and rhythm. The riffing is less Thrash Metal driven and the main riff is more Rock ‘n Roll inspired. “Lunacy” is the official video release, and the YouTube link is provided below. “Scorpio” has a frantic start with guitar riffs that are more towards traditional Thrash Metal, however, there is always a part that has Rock ‘n Roll vibes. “Scorpio” starts with an extended instrumental part, before the vocals start contributing. There are a lot of tempo and rhythm changes throughout the track, and the song textures are relatively complex. The lead guitar contributions are more prominent compared to the opener and highlights are the short but contributing lead guitar solos throughout the track. “Scorpio” is with more than eight minutes the longest track on the EP.

“Bayou Bounty” starts with a guitar and bass intro, transitioning into mixture of a Heavy Metal, Rock, and Punk inspired track. Add a bit of Thrash Metal riffing to it and it gives you the picture of a very diverse song. Most of the song is instrumental with just a bit of vocal contribution and it are the constant switches of styles that make the track interesting. “The Deceiver” is the final track of the EP and it starts with another guitar pre-lude, transitioning into fast Thrash Metal track with aggressive and sharp riffing and a lot of double-bass drumming. Highlight of the song is the extended lead guitar solo and the track is my favorite of the EP.

The first offering of CRAZY MAD RIDE is an interesting one. “Life, Liberty, Death” contains a few elements from different Metal and Rock genres with Thrash Metal at its core. The songs are mainly driven by the guitar riffing and the lead guitars, not so much by the vocals. A few of the songs are lengthy and the songwriting sounds a bit unfinished at times. The EP is well produced. “Life, Liberty, Death” sounds as if CRAZY MAD RIDE still try to find their style, but Thrash Metal fans who are ready to cross genres will surely dig the debut of CRAZY MAD RIDE.