Years ago when I read about the old 80s band TIGERTAILZ, the info told me that this is one of the only bands that is recognized as Glam / Thrash Metal. Well, I had to find out if that is true and I did. Let's say that I would call them Thrashers in pink with ribbons and grisly hair, yet their music tended more towards Glam than Thrash or Speed Metal. Even their two persuasive covers for MEGADETH's "Peace Sells" and METALLICA's "Creeping Death" didn't convince me that easily but in overall it is a good band. To cut this story short and let the Dutch TORNADO have the fame they rightfully deserve on this review, they made me feel quite like when I found out about TIGERTAILZ, only this time it was different, and even quite the opposite. Thrash outran Glam in heartbeat yet colored the debut, "Amsterdam, Helsinki", with additional humor and flashy paint.

If you had any running with the Swedish Thrashers of THE LIVING DEAD or the Thrash / Speed, with slight Punk attitude, of GAMA BOMB and you liked it, you will get a kick load of TORNADO. These guys made tough Thrash onslaughts of both Bay Area and European orientations with a great sound production that will reel back the 80s TESTAMENT and EXODUS older productions. I really liked the liveliness that these guys share and I could actually feel the fun they had on recording these songs. Although the album wasn't generally mind blowing, excluding "Priesthood Pedophilia", which has an important message, behind the laughter and the swinging glamour, as Thrash songs should have and is virtually a work of art, but still they have a flair in them that most bands out there don't show all the time, maybe only when playing live. I also urge you to listen to "Massive Extinction Impact" and "Blue" as both were great thrashing features of an influenced band that made the classic years of the genre their mast. Frankly, after listening to this album I have to admit that TORNADO is a band that I am sure will be a special treat as a spectacle.

Even so, while the music was storming my mind, I tried to find a little sense in the lyrics, yet I had a hard time doing that and it started and ended with the vocal section. I didn't know if Mr. Superstar Severance was kidding with this style of singing or this how he actually sings. When THE LIVING DEAD singer sang in the same vocal pattern, I knew that there is a smirk behind the mouth the spreads the words, yet here I was baffled. In a way, the Superstar was rather annoying that contributing to the catchy Thrash rhythms his band was discharging from their massive load of 80s legacy and boy they had a lot to let loose. Furthermore, TORNADO made some great ideas come alive on this release, yet with their superlative rhythms and riffs, I couldn't ignore that they were repeating themselves sometimes. As a one that is a sucker for riffs, especially ones of old school Thrash, I liked what I heard but I believe that there should be some fresh outputs inserted in later stages.

"Amsterdam, Helsinki" is the swinging Thrash as the TORNADO guys call it. From Amsterdam to Helsinki and beyond they spread their messages of both glamour and hilarity with a shred of the serious stuff that has been going on in our daily lives, along with the revolution issues. For core Thrashers, this album is a must check as it is a great moshpit invitation.