TAURUS is a five-piece act from Niterói (Brasil) which back in the times decided to play Thrash Metal and released two demos and three albums between 1985 and 1989, and which still seem to be active, even if they haven’t released anything since that last album called “Pornography”. What Marquee Records decided to re-release here is their second album, “Trapped In Lies”, from 1988, which originally appeared on Heavy Metal Rock. The album originally included a cover of LED ZEPPELIN’s ‘Communication Breakdown’, but on this re-release it was substituted by four rehearsal tracks and a live one. I really like Thrash Metal, but, like with every style, when it comes to standard stuff I use to become a bit bored, and especially this style, which was played and abused by loads of bands in the eighties and nineties, is quite hard to swallow nowadays if it doesn’t offer something a bit fresh or different. What TAURUS played is something very similar to the first METALLICA, MEGADETH or TESTAMENT (even spanish LEGION), quite melodic Thrash Metal, not too fast, not too aggressive and with a lack of power as much in the music as in the vocals (maybe the drums are still not bad). That’s maybe the weakest point, and they guy doesn’t sing bad, but it’s more like he was just speaking, he didn’t put any energy on his parts, and the same goes to the guitars, simply standard thrashy riffs, catchy, but not too varied or energic, and only broken by some leads which are more or less ok. And what was most interesting about Thrash Metal if it wasn’t the energy and power it used to transmit? I think even in 1988 there where enough more interesting albums than this one if you wanted some good Thrash Metal (and still nowadays, just look at TOXIC HOLOCAUST or MUNICIPAL WASTE, for example), so I can understand they didn’t get too much recognition at that moment. Only for Thrash freaks. www.marquee.com.br