MUNICIPAL WASTE
The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space
Nuclear Blast
7.5 / 10 Track listing:
01. Waste In Space
02. Repossession
03. New Dead Masters
04. Unholy Abductor
05. Idiot Check
06. Covered In Sick/The Barfer
07. You're Cut Off
08. Authority Complex
09. Standards And Practices
10. Crushing Chest Wound
11. The Monster With 21 Faces
12. Jesus Freaks
13. The Fatal Feast
14. 12 Step Program
15. Death Tax
16. Residential Disaster
No big surprises and no attempts to move away from the tight crossover style that MUNICIPAL WASTE has honed to near-perfection, "The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space" is for the most part what you would expect from the good-time thrashers. That's a very good thing for fans and for those questioning whether the decades-old style can still get the juices flowing in 2012. It can and "The Fatal Feast" does.
Fast, fun, and frantic describes most of the songs here, as would be the case on most any crossover release worth its salt. One thing about MUNICIPAL WASTE though is that you can never discount that fun factor; being goofy is one thing, but MUNICIPAL WASTE laces its comedy with cleverness in way that makes a song worth remembering for more than just a hot lick or a pointed chorus shout. Exhibit A is a song called "Covered in Sick/The Barfer" about which you'll be laughing before the music even begins, based on the title alone.
"The Fatal Feast" is 16 tracks of no-time-wasted crossover thrash metal, much of which is played recklessly quick, although the rough-edged tradition of the style has been smoothed with modern technology and a studio budget. Chainsawing riffs aplenty and the expert execution of motor mouth Tony Foresta who belts it out with tongue planted in check are big parts of MUNICIPAL WASTE's appeal as well. As far as quintessential crossover is concerned, whether D.R.I. or SUICIDIAL TENDENCIES, you couldn't do much better than the compact gang-shouted lunacy of "You're Cut Off" (all 1:14 of it) or, lyrically speaking in particular, the barnstorming "Jesus Freaks".
A little variety goes a long way on "Fatal Feast", as demonstrated by the killer mid-tempo groove (save for a manic break) of the aforementioned "Covered in Sick/The Barfer". Synth intro "Waste in Space" is a nice touch too and one of guest player Steve Moore's (ZOMBI) contributions to the album. And it just makes sense that NUCLEAR ASSAULT's John Connelly would want to get in on this action. Ex-AVAIL vocalist Tim Barry completes the trio of guest appearances. "The Fatal Feast" is one more example of why MUNICIPAL WASTE is so damn difficult to dislike, assuming one would even entertain such a thought. Most would be hard pressed to call "The Fatal Feast" an essential crossover album. Calling it a very good one however is easy.
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