3B Assylum was a thrash metal band from Bakersfield, California that formed sometime in the mid 90s, long after the thrash metal party ended. They released only two work: a self-titled EP and a full-length called Poverty. I only managed to find their self-titled EP. I went into this release fully expecting it to suck, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The drums dole out double bass at a steady pace, as well as plenty of blast beats and intricate fills. Despite being made in the mid 90s, it still has a strong 80s aesthetic. I don't hear any of the groove that was popularized by Pantera and dominated the 90s. The riffs sound like a mix of Megadeth, Anthrax, and Testament, and I think I also hear a bit of Kreator. The vocals sound like a mix of Phil Rind and Joey Belladonna. Sometimes he performs deep throaty shouts such as those on “Black Monday” and other times he performs clean vocals like those on “Suicide Slide”. I especially love the guitar solos. Their string shredding exhibits a great number of influences, from Metallica to Megadeth, and I think I even hear some Death in there.
Although these guys make some great music, there are a few problems with this album. First of all, they use way too many sound filters. Sometimes the vocals have this strange warble effect applied to them, and some of the guitar solos sound like they're being transmitted through a ham radio that had its speakers blown out. I would have preferred it if they just kept it simple. These sound filters just distract from the experience. My second problem with this album is that it's too long, especially the last song. Sure, they put on a great performance, but it gets repetitive after a while.
Aside from those issues, this was a really good EP, featuring relentless drums, a diverse vocal performance, and some kickass riffs and solos. I don't know where these guys are now, but I want to congratulate them on making an album that's far better than most of the putrid thrash metal I've been listening to lately.
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