RAGINPIT MAGAZINE

Throwdown - Vendetta
Release Date: June 28, 2005

Track listing:
1. We Will Rise
2. Speak the Truth
3. Vendetta
4. Burn
5. Discipline
6. To Live is to Sacrifice
7. Give My Life
8. The World Behind (featuring Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage)
9. Shut You Down
10. Annihilation (N.W.D.)
11. This is Where It Ends

I talked to a buddy of mine who asked me if I had heard of a band called Throwdown. He's a serious die hard Pantera fan and it didn't surprise me when he mentioned they had some parts in their new CD that sounded heavily influenced by them. He was diggin' their sound a lot and said I should definitely check them out.

Coincidentally, I had a copy of their latest release Vendetta that had just arrived in the mail. Throwdown, for those who aren't familiar, originates from the same locale as other hardcore heavyweights Atreyu and 18 Visions in Orange County. These guys became known for building on extreme chunk style metal riffs and hardcore vocals with an intense, straight-edge message.

Vendetta opens up right up in your face with "We Will Rise." First impressions could either be a savior or a killer. I instantly knew these dudes took every riff seriously, as they busted out on some really bad ass, moshy and headbanging grooves. Impressions, impressions, impressions... Yeah, I was impressed.

Guitar players Matt Mentley and Mark Choiniere keep you glued to your speakers, leading a brutal assault of riffs ranging from chunked-out, super groove to complex rhythms and traditional punk/hardcore injected, elongated breakdowns.

You ride through a couple of tracks then a song which first really stood out to me, "Burn," curb-stomps you with a sonic fierceness. It has everything for a serious 140 mile an hour, country joyride to the middle of no where (I am very into those kind of drives).

I then drifted off through a couple more songs and was brought back with another tune "Give Me Life." This song gets the old adrenaline going and makes you want to either jump up and start moshing everything in your living room to bits or turn it up real loud until the china on your neighbors walls starts to rumble off the shelves!

"The World Behind," I think, must be were my friend heard the heavy influence of Philip Enselmo Great Southern Trendkill style vocals [(Vox) Dave Peters] and guitars. If you want something to hammer through your system (Bass) Dom Macaluso and (Drums) Ben Dussault deliver it to you 7 fold and then some with highly polished and tight grooves throughout the album.

Overall, Throwdown's style sometimes can be excessive. With one high impact song, then what sounds like semi-droning fillers, then another tune to wake you back up with a boot to the head. They are pure aggression personified and high energy though, so don't get me wrong.

If you're looking for the CD to listen to while pumping iron or "kicking some kid's ass for cutting in front of you while you were in line for Hatebreed tickets and needed a little background music," get it now. If anything you can always rip the best of their tunes to your IPod to complete your, "I won't put up with anyone's shit playlist!"

On the volume knob I give it a cranked up 8 on the dial.

Label: Trustkill Records
www.Trustkill.com
www.ThrowdownGo.com
http://www.adrenalinepr.com/