Full-length (2008)
(Reviewer: Paul Bolton)
The leaders in the field of Scottish thrash Amok earned themselves a release on Witches Brew after this, their first full length album dropped, and rightly so. In an interview with the UK Thrash Podcast, front-man Stephen told me that they were often surprised at the lightning skill of some of the English bands’ lead guitarists, but added that that’s not really what Amok are about. ‘Downhill Without Brakes’ showcases a fun, bouncy brand of thrash metal, much in the vein of ‘Among the Living’ era Anthrax, which the lads clearly prefer to overly complex guitar work or rough, snarling vocals. That’s not to say this album isn’t heavy or technical, but it’s a breath of fresh air, especially on stand out songs like ‘Sectioned’, ‘Kill the Gestapo’ and ‘Thrash Island’. The songs dance around the line of silly and politically aware lyrics and focus on big riffs and plenty of moments where you’d almost expect to hear a cry of “WAAARDAAANCE!” All in all, ‘Downhill Without Brakes’ is catchy and memorable, and a world away from being a paint-by-numbers Slayer rip-off.
