Emanating from the likes of Kill Your Idols, Madball, and Deathcycle, Black Anvil undergoes a complete makeover into the realm of blackened death ‘n roll on TIME INSULTS THE MIND. This NYC trio’s nine-track debut captures early thrash and doom’s glacial overtones pretty well, although the D-beat does come into play here, providing the occasional inherent interruptions that ultimately sets this band apart from the rest of the pack. Excelling thanks in part to the benefit of having an authenticated diabolical raspy vocal delivery (“On This Day Death,” “777”) while serving up a barrage of Celtic Frost and Darkthrone meets Entombed dark and dirty riffs guaranteed to get the blood pumping (“Deathsomnia,” “L.T.H.L.T.K,” “Ten Talons Deep”), Black Anvil’s modern reaps a visceral onslaught in its own right while respectfully paying homage to metal’s most evil pioneers. Purists will undoubtedly scoff at the disc’s high production values (the bass in particular perpetually bombards with ferocity throughout) and hardcore roots,and trash its intentions, yet this unit has exhibited an attentiveness to projections from Gotham City’s graveyard shift long enough to warrant the opportunity to tell their dark-hearted versions with a threatening and tried and true template in tow . www.monumentumrecords.com -Mike SOS