Hyades - The Roots of Trash (2009)

While the timing of Hyades' string of full-length albums may coincide with the recent boom of retro thrash in the past few years, the Italians have actually been at it since the mid 90s (though they've transformed from power to thrash metal over that time). The Roots of Trash is their third full-length, and while I'm not sure if the title's double entendre is intended to mean anything, this is certainly rooted in the US thrash of the mid 80s. The meaty tone of the guitars and the tendency towards mid-paced plodding rhythms reminds me much of Anthrax in their prime, perhaps a dash of Fabulous Disaster Exodus.

Vocalist Marco Colombo has a pretty impressive voice that can shift between deeper Chuck Billy style and a more vicious sneer. Though the band might lean towards this simpler thrash style, the vocals suit it extremely well, as does the great mix which captures the crunchy guitars in all their bombast. Most of the material on the album is consistent, but there some tracks that stood out to me. "The Great Deceit" has some great wars and a chugging pit gait that meshes well with Colombo's throat and the quick bursts of leadwork. "United in the Struggle" carries one of those 'epic' 80s thrash metal vibes, and some of his vocals here remind me of a heavier Peavy (from Rage). "The Moshing Rage" features some great grooving rhythms which almost make up for the silly name. "I Belong to One" is another of the mighty tracks, which wouldn't have been out of place on Among the Living or Persistence of Time save for the much more aggressive vocals.

The band does wear the silly retro thrash memes on their sleeves, but they back it up with solid production, decent music and an excellent vocalist whose charisma translates well even over riffs that would otherwise be mundane. The cover of Offspring's "Come Out and Play" is something I could certainly live without, but The Roots of Trash is a better effort than the previous albums. Hyades prove here that they are one of the better Italian thrash bands in modern years.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

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