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When I look back at 1989-90, I think of the "death" of Thrash Metal and the horrible hydra that spouted heads like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit that rose from the depths in the wake of Anthrax's "I'm the Man." What I forget is that there was still some good music from that time and even though it didn't sound like Kill 'Em All, Spreading the Disease or Killing Is My Business... it certainly didn't suck.

Greece's Immoral Hazard is here to remind us all (or maybe just me) of that fact. The band's debut full-length, Convulsion, is full of aggressive riffs, sick lead work and angry vocals that borrow a lot from the pissed off shouts of Hardcore without actually straying over into core territory. Songs like "Pitch Black," "Self Enemy" and "Alcowhore" move along with the speed and power of a runaway freight train but where Immoral Hazard actually set themselves apart is when they slow things down. The middle-section of "Vultures Dance" is dark and somber, which brings a whole new level of atmosphere and emotion to the song. "Dead End Trails" also opts for the slower tempo and while it doesn't succeed on the same level as "Vultures Dance," mostly because it is too long, it is still a nice change of pace. And, fear not, Immoral Hazard won't leave you in the lurch. They finish Convulsion with a pair of neck-breaking tunes in "Haven" and "Last Nerve."

The music on Convulsion is still not my favorite but I can definitely dig it. Fans of Sepultura's Arise and Pantera's Cowboys from Hell should not think twice about picking this one up.