JUST ONE FIX hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, were formed in 1998. The band was named after the famous MINISTRY song. The Thrash Metal band release only their first EP after tree full-length albums and the first release for 10 years. The EP was produced by Dave Rhoades (THOUSAND LIMBS) and mastered by Luke Finlay (HELGORITMS; SILENT TORTURE). It has a length of about 26 minutes, and it is an independent release. The EP starts with the tension-building, two-minutes, acoustic guitar intro “Submission And Transition”, which transitions into the powerful “Gods And Devils”. It is a fast and direct track with tight guitar riffing, crunching basslines, and plenty of double-bass drumming. The vocals are harsh and vary between the deep and medium end of the vocal range with some deep growls in between. The vocals are intensified by background vocals during the chorus parts. The tempo varies with some mid-tempo and some down-tempo parts added to the track. “Gods And Devils” is not the Thrash Metal classic, there are many Death Metal twists throughout and a few Hardcore vibes during the choruses. “Warzone” continues with a mixture of fast verse parts, mid-tempo bridges, and down-tempo chorus parts. The riffing leans more towards traditional tight Thrash Metal riffing during the verse parts, but also includes more thunderous riffs during the slower parts.

“Thorns” starts with an extended guitar-driven introduction leading into the fast and aggressive verse part. The song textures are very similar to those of the previous tracks: fast Thrash Metal verse parts, mid-tempo bridges, and slower chorus parts. The choruses have a few Groove vibes. The break is driven by crushing basslines and an extended lead guitar solo, which is no doubt the highlight of the track. “Your Own God Now” starts with a frantic verse part transitioning seamlessly into a mid-tempo chorus part. The riffing is tight and direct again, while the vocals are mainly around the medium end of the vocal range with little tonal shifts. The break is hammering with aggressive riffing at a sluggish rhythm at the start, but it soon transitions abruptly into a fast break for the lead guitar solo. “Your Own God Now” is the official video release, and the YouTube link is provided below. The final track “Hades Rising” starts with a dark guitar and bass-driven intro, transitioning into mid-tempo track with a lot of aggression in the riffing and the vocals. The riffing is very direct without any great deal of technicality and combined with the hammering bass, it perfectly fits into the track. The break with the lead guitar solo is once again the best part of the track, and altogether, “Hades Rising” is my favorite track on the EP.

JUST ONE FIX release a promising Thrash Metal EP. “Submit Or Death” is not necessarily a Thrash Metal classic, although it has many traditional Thrash Metal influences like the characteristic guitar riffing. However, “Submit Or Death” is more than that as Death and Groove Metal inspirations and Hardcore vibes are evident. Altogether, it is a very compact release, but perhaps a real highlight is missing. The EP is well produced. I call “Submit Or Death” a promising release as there might be hope for a new full-length release of JUST ONE FIX and this might not only excite Thrash Metal fans from New Zealand.