CONDITION CRITICAL — Operational Hazard (review)

CONDITION CRITICAL — Operational Hazard album cover Album · 2013 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Operational Hazard" is the debut full-length studio album by US, New Jersey based thrash metal act Condition Critical. The album was released through Burned by God Records in July 2013. Condition Critical formed in 2010 and released the "Bred to Kill" demo in 2011.

Stylistically the material on "Operational Hazard" is a brutal and aggressive type of thrash metal, and it doesn´t take more than a few minutes of playing time listening to the opening track "Random Acts of Killing" to hear that Condition Critical are greatly influenced by their countrymen in Demolition Hammer and on this release, particularly by the debut album by said artist "Tortured Existence (1990)". Sharp and brutal thrash metal riffs, blistering screaming solos, a powerful and energetic rhythm section, and some rabid dog snarling vocals in front (and the occasional use of riot gang choirs). There are even some lyrical themes which are quite similar to those of Demolition Hammer, and tracks like "Parasitic Torment", "Surgical Malpractice", and "Morning Sickness" are close to being clone material.

So it´s safe to say you won´t be treated to anything unique or original sounding on "Operational Hazard", but fortunately Condition Critical are a well playing act and they know how to write an effectful thrash metal tune. They don´t quite reach the quality level of their heroes. To reach those heights Condition Critical need to write tracks which are easier to tell apart and which feature more catchy moments. As "Operational Hazard" is now, it´s still a good quality brutal thrash metal release and it´s highly entertaining while it plays, but for all it´s intensity and furious aggression, a few more hooks would have meant a lot for the final product. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is still well deserved though and fans of Demolition Hammer and brutal thrash in general, should of course give this one a listen.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Traumatica Metalcore
NO GUERRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Within the Visceria Death Metal
NECKBREAKKER
Buy this album from MMA partners
EP 1 Sludge Metal
CHAOTIC AGGRESSION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Songs of Blood and Mire Black Metal
SPECTRAL WOUND
Buy this album from MMA partners
Everything Hurts And I'm Dying Atmospheric Sludge Metal
NEGATIVE BLISS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Origin Of Infinity - Chronosphere (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
ORIGIN OF INFINITY
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Kingdom of Heaven - “Pleasures of Pain”
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Bosh66· 1 day ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 18 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed