I do remember AT WAR. Back then it was in a distro list which came inside on record I just bought. And whereas most bands were labeled “Speed Metal” or “Thrash Metal” this one in their debut album was advertised as “Speed / Thrash Metal”. Obviously it caught my attention and that one of my fellow Metallers back then. Nope, we didn’t order anything that time; we were just poor high school Metallers with just money for a few beers. But still we did get the tape for “Ordered To Kill” by doing what you did back then: tape trading. And I must admit that at first I didn’t get that much from that album. The production was “dry” to call it in a way, and it sounded damn raw. A few months later one of us got the vinyl and we were stoked for the cover art, that picture of the long haired members holding real guns… wow, those were memories. I don’t know if the cover art had an impact on the music, but in the end it did sounded better… jut for looking at the cover art. Oh, but let’s get to the music. Yeah, it could be said that they were a Speed / Thrash metal band. They had some galloping guitars more akin to early SLAYER while also have some faster song reminding of VENOM (specially the Cronos-like vocals), and a lot to MOTÖRHEAD. No wonder they included a cover in that first record. Still, with the entire aura this release had, I also knew that this was not really in league with some other bands which were more interesting and exciting. Well, now let’s fast forward 23 years later. I knew the band was still alive or at least recovered from a long hiatus and were ready to release some new Metal. I have found most of these reunion$ or waking up $lumber to be boring. In fact of all those reactivated bands that are worthy nowadays for their actual recordings I can hardly count them with one hand. Some of those bands, like most of the ancient gods, still survive due to them playing live their old material. Well, in the case of AT WAR, let’s just say that they are still playing the same style, if probably more influenced by MOTÖRHEAD in way they do tend to sound like newer SODOM (so no big surprise here, eh?) and they obviously got a very powerful production, and some interesting riffing here and there, with more than some old school touches, and obviously a better performance. I also appreciate the fact that it is the original line-up, which considering they were a trio was probably not as hard as lets say a 5 piece unit. So, what bring us some 20 + years after their debut release? Well, it is an interesting album, which still possesses that old school feeling, with a very good production and some good songs. I would say this as good as their debut album, and a lot better than their second effort “Retaliatory Strike”. I do sense they are a bit faster in this, so with the coming of age, that is a thing to thank, than just slowing down. Still, as it was the case with their debut album, the vocals are pretty much one-dimensional, and they tend to abuse sometimes of more old Hardcore / Metallish riffs that with a modern production are not exactly fitting that well with their more Thrash Metal sound. After a couple more listening to the album, some songs and riffs are more coherent, and the power contained in those start to explode. In the end, we have a competent Speed / Thrash Metal album, with a really awful cover art, with the war-themed figure present, and with a sound that is pretty much their own. If you liked them back then, you might enjoy this one. Otherwise, do not expect much more than a good Speed / Thrash Metal album with gruff vocals. www.myspace.com/atwartheband, www.heavyartillery.us.

AT WAR, from the United States, is separated in time just by eight years from the almighty MÖTORHEAD in their beginnings. And that may explain a little bit their tendency to eject their sound within a similar zone still being located in two different continents. Because even when they played that figure of a now traditional Thrash Metal, which means that they added perhaps more speed and / or rage in a certain way to their sound, compared to MÖTORHEAD and compared to the Metal that was circulating strongly at the moment, the mentioned speed and / or rage probably belonged to their musical horizon, as those were the aspects reigning in the scene shortly after AT WAR was formed (speed and / or rage). But besides that, a remarkable characteristic that must be underlined is that AT WAR, unlike other bands, remained historically focused on singing of political issues and using their sound to manifest a posture, turning AT WAR a band “Semper Fi” to defend the voice of the ones with no voice. And the lyrics are clearly delimited by a range of political and millitary themes, reflecting the convulsion from a society that was just leaving behind the Cold War up until the society of our present days, nevertheless you still can hear the MÖTORHEAD influences running through their veins, all of this happening while discussing things that maybe a band like MÖTORHEAD was not discussing the same way. Simply review their discography. You’ll figure it out! But referring now to this album, “Infidel”, originally released back in 2009 and now reissued by High Roller Records in January of this year on CD, cassette tape and 12” vinyl, it is one in which you can certainly enjoy that legacy of those bands that merged politics with Metal to create a mixture of an aggressive music with a process of awareness that should origin the ending of those totally unfair political systems still in power and that unfortunately won’t leave. So if this topic is of your interest just check them out! www.facebook.com/atwartheband, www.facebook.com/hrrecords