Andy Classen's Stage One Studio - Mixing, Mastering-, Recording Studio

Bio-Cancer
Tormenting The Innocent
(Candlelight Records)

Bio-Cancer are definitely one of the few cutting edge thrash bands that I truly admire. Their new album on Candlelight Records, Tormenting The Innocent, is as brutal and extreme as anything I have ever heard in thrash metal past or present.

Bio-Cancer recorded Tormenting The Innocent with Andy Classen, who some of you might know from his days as the guitar player for 80s seminal German thrash band Holy Moses, and for his extensive work afterward as a producer with bands such as Tankard and Destruction. With that being said it is a given that the new album totally destroys. In terms of sound quality the album is incredibly clear, properly done, and a step above the typical garbage. It’s just one of those gems that make you want to blurt out “fuck” a couple times.

Musically each member of the band is impressive. Giannhs is an impressive bass player, whose solos are included frequently throughout the tracks, and Tomek fulfills his role as an incredible drum machine. You wouldn’t believe how on fire this guy is. Thanasis and Stavros are both gifted as lead and rhythm guitar players. They’re passionate, and in my opinion they write really cool riffs that are genuine to the genre. Thanasis has wonderful solos that don’t steal from the show, which I think is important in a thrash metal band. After all the genre hinges on its history associated with punk hardcore, which is the antithesis of all that scholarly bullshit. Although a thrash metal album should have solos, it’s important to keep them relevant to the rhythm of the song, instead of just flopping your dick around like you’re in a progressive band. I think the members of Bio-Cancer understand that, and it puts them a cut above the rest. Now I’m not knocking progressive metal or any other genre associated with that, but I don’t think it’s very good when a thrash metal band tries to step out into that perplexing area, or at least if they do they shouldn’t really call themselves thrash. Indeed the hardcore influences are certainly evident on the album. You’ll notice them definitely on “Bulletproof.”.............................................................