Siberian Meat Grinder - Hail To The Tsar

First things first, these guys have such a cool name! Siberian Meat Grinders are a thrash metal band from the cold, harsh depths of Russia. Hail To The Tsar is their five-track EP, which was unleashed in May 2012.

Tracklist:-

1. Hail To The Tsar
2. Still In The Game
3. Chainsaw In The Dark
4. Slay The Dragon
5. Laughing In Your Face
6. Bonus Track

Thrash is certainly the word with these chaps! It seems like an age since I actually reviewed any. This is thrash of the crossover variety; it's fast and features just enough hardcore crunch to keep the crusties happy. These guys are great musicians too; just listen to the solo toward the end of the title track. Still In The Game is more mid-paced during the intro and then they slam their foot to the floor again, once the verse kicks in. The production of this EP is top-notch too, allowing each instrument to sound clear and the songs accomplished. They say on Bandcamp that they fling in rap, which I kind of didn't believe, until I heard for myself during Still In The Game. Public Enemy, eat your heart out!

Chainsaw In The Dark is full of rock n roll flair. Its semi-stoner intro belying their initial thrash blueprint and showing that SMG can and will play whatever they want, and do it well. Slay The Dragon does slay, with twin guitar harmonies and gang vocals aplenty!  It does remind a bit of Blessed By A Broken Heart, but whereas they are a throwback band of sorts, SMG manage to inject modern sensibilities into their music and come out with a sound that's got more integrity. The oppressive sludge atmosphere of Laughing In Your Face is welcome, but it doesn't distract too much from the party! There's also bound to be obvious comparisons made to Municipal Waste, but that's just lazy.

So, by the time you reach the imaginatively titled Bonus Track, your bound to have neck-ache and shaking eyeballs, such is the quality of the thrash metal on this EP. Siberian Meat Grinder are ace and the sooner they get over to UK the better!

Listen for yourselves below:-

You can also find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SIBERIANMEATGRINDER.