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[ o ] OLSON

SKATE, THRASH, OR DON’T

wordsby saelan twerdy

The original idea for this issue was that we were going to do a big exposé on the New Wave of American thrash metal. In particular, we wanted to hunt down bands that are resurrecting that most skate-friendly collision of 80s thrash metal and 80s hardcore: crossover thrash, as originated by the likes of DRI, JFA, and Suicidal Tendencies, and briefly resuscitated earlier in this decade by bands like S.T.R.E.E.T.S. and their affiliates. Once we hit the pavement though, what we discovered was just a collection of rad bands each doing their own thing. Some love to skate, some love to thrash, and one or two like to do both, but as convenient as it would be for people who like to slap labels on things (music writers being the worst and most hasty of people who have that fault), there isn’t really a movement brewing in America. What there is, however, is a handful of bands scaling the garbage heap that is Western Civilization and looking for ways to tear it a new asshole. Every one of these bands stands ready and prepared to stoke your session.