This is one of those many Teutonic thrash bands from the 80s that were overlooked where they stood behind the terrific trio of Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction. Alongside Tankard, Vendetta, Iron Angel, and a host of others, Assassin specialized in a brand of raucous speed/thrash metal that was somewhat technically proficient. A lot more coherent than "The Upcoming Terror", this album actually bears a strong resemblance to some of Tankard's work, with the thick guttural accent on the vocals (Robert Gonella, as heard here, could practically switch off with Gerre of Tankard fame and I doubt anyone would notice the difference) and the flurry of happy-go-lucky, vicious thrash riffs. They also shared a passion for including goofy elements on their records, such as the cover of the surf classic "Pipeline" or the frantically idiot "Junk Food" (it would seem Assassin paralleled Tankard's love of alcohol to some extent with their own love of…snacks?!?) Musically speaking, this album isn't entirely devoid of worth. "Resolution 588", "Baka" and the title track are pure excursions into the greatness that was inherent in most early German thrash. This and the previous album have been re-issued on CD by Axe Killer records in France, so collectors might want to assimilate them while they have the chance. If you're new and trying to get a vision of the past of the Teutonic speed/thrash metal scene, I'd rather recommend some of the earlier selections from Tankard (i.e. "Chemical Invasion", "Zombie Attack", or "The Morning After".) Of course, Tankard never had a guitarist named Dinko, but what's in a name?

© 2000 pizarro