Review: Bio-Cancer - Ear Piercing Thrash

BIO-CANCER
Ear Piercing Thrash
Athens Thrash Attack


It's been one helluva wait for Greece's own BIO-CANCER to release their debut album Ear Piercing Thrash. As a big fan of their demo work, I have been waiting with a watery mouth to sink my teeth into the new and updated material.

At one time it appeared the album would make its way out via EBM Records, but for whatever reason the deal must have fallen through, sticking Ear Piercing Thrash back on the shelf for a while longer. That sucked.

Now, through the Athens Thrash Attack label, fans of pure riff-laden extreme thrash can rejoice. If you read what I have previously written about Bio-Cancer (some of which might be repeated here), you know I am rejoicing as well!

Personally, as a thrash fan, I'm looking for something that rocks. That's it. If a band can write a killer song, I don't care if it's cut from a tried-and-true formula utilized by the thrash masters of yore. Since I have heard crappy thrash tunes that attempted to rip off the old classics, it stands to reason that it takes a certain amount of talent to write a good song, even if they are cloning their influences.

So although every band injects their influences in song creations, Bio-Cancer not being the exception, I can honestly say that these guys have forged a sound that is completely their own.

Much of this can be attributed to the way each song successfully uses strong riff repetition with catchy hooks and powerful dynamics. Yes, they take a riff and ride it to death, but (again) the way they ride the riff is what counts, and it's also what makes them stand out.

In lieu of the consistent e-string chugging used by almost every thrash band in existence, Bio-Cancer employs cyclical sharp and frantic riffs that sound like blistering fast versions of Sabbath's or Clutch's bluesy (yet ballsy) guitar work. However, the Bio guys skip any semblance of bluesy emotion as they take the riff hook, stick a piece of bloody meat on it and throw it the middle of a school of piranha. This is the riff they ride to death, over the hills and valleys of speedy aggression and mid-tempo stomp.

Add in a dusting of Maiden-esque harmonies and you have an idea of how Bio-Cancer completely crushes!

Vocalist Lefteris uses a raspy, blood-gurgling grind style that works well with Bio-Cancer's frenzied music, combining to create a signature thrash metal style that is both easily recognizable and devastatingly powerful.

 Ear Piercing Thrash rocks. End of story.



- r. lawrence blake