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Punishment 18 Records have brought out another band playing the old school Thrash game. Alkoholizer is everything but slow; a sense of speed runs through their veins as they charge to the mosh pit. Drunk or Dead is the band's debut full-length (after 2007's demo, Demo-lizer.) It's amazing how the sounds of Slayer, Sepultura, Kreator, Destruction, Dark Angel, M.O.D. and Municipal Waste gather in a nice, thrashy pit stop. Although the band has an alcohol related name, there's no nod to Tankard anywhere to be found, which seems a bit odd. But what matter? If it's Thrash, it's bound to be energetic.

Alkoholizer use almost every old school trick in the book, be it along the lines of US and European Thrash or plain old 80s Hardcore. Their music has a lot of punch to go along with the unending speed, violence and pure Italian terror. The productivity is both modern and classic sounding (a good job, there). However, and this did not come as a shock, Alkoholizer did not step to the original side of the plate. Why is that, you ask? Check out their tunes for the answer.

After a rather banal intro, consisting of television clips, comes "Pay With Your Blood," a high octane songs, as are most on the album, that sounds very close to Slayer's "Angel of Death." And this is not the only instance where Alkoholizer take their songwriting from "influenced by" to "imitate." Even the solos sound as if King and Hanneman have joined the band.

One thing is for sure, Alkoholizer know how to thrash. They kill and will make you bleed; however, originality is definitely not their strong suit. Maybe they don't need any help in the Thrash department but they are badly in need of new ideas. It would only take a bit of work to go from generic to mind-blowing.

Many thrashers around the world admire Slayer more than any other Thrash band, but admiration should not mean imitation. Alkoholizer have the energy and willpower to stay on the old school track, but their material is a hindrance. This in not their final word and with their potential, they should develop and find that creative spark. Drunk or Dead... has its own beer fury and chops. Take a listen.