The Modern Wave of Thrash Metal (MWOTM) that is taking the world by assault has some names that will never get anywhere due the lack of talent and personality. But there are many others that, even not playing something different from what was done in the 80s (the golden age for the genre), put a new energy on their musical work, and then, you have to bang your heads until your necks ache. The Italian quintet NATIONAL SUICIDE is in this last description, as their third album, called "Massacre Elite", is here to prove.

A Thrash Metal onslaught in the same vein of EXODUS (especially on vocals in the screamed way of Steve "Zetro" Souza) and NUCLEAR ASSAULT with touches of TESTAMENT on their slower moments. It's a massacre of raw and brutal energy, the very same of bands like MUNICIPAL WASTE and HAVOK. It's amazing how their songs are extremely hooking, and sometimes, funny. But it's excellent, besides they're not doing anything new. Be prepared to Thrash on all night! A sharp, clean and aggressive sonority is the final result of the sound production. Yes, the producer of the album did an excellent work, because even with the 80s Thrash Metal insight of the band, he sound is clean and all the instruments are in their due places, sounding with the right tunes. It's excellent, indeed! But the band is truly worthy of the efforts on the production, because the set of songs of "Massacre Elite" is excellent!

Their best moments can be named as the feast of aggressive riffs and fast tempos heard on the hooking "Deathroll" (amazing guitars, with fine riffs and solos), the nuclear fission of heavy weight heard on "Massacre Elite" (another fast song with a charming energy and excellent vocals), the "motorheadian" feeling on the Crossover/Thrash Metal song called "Old, White and Italian" (a funny song, with a fine energy, with very good work from bass guitar and drums), the abrasive tempos and raw energy flux of "Pisshead", the charming fast melodies of "Trouble Ahead" and its nasty vocals (what a great chorus), the hymn to the source of joy of all Metalheads called "Take Me to the Dive Bar" (a song with slower and nasty tempos, with a fine work from bass guitar and drums once more), and brutal speed of "What D'you Mean by Metal?" (that comes after a long silence, but the guitars worthy our patience). But all the songs of "Massacre Elite" are excellent.

"Massacre Elite" is a very good album, indeed, so listen to it loud and purge your neighborhood of idiots! That's what NATIONAL SUICIDE stands for!