Hazzerd - The 3rd Dimension ★★★★☆
Updated: Jan 27
THRASH-O-METER
★★★★☆ SONGWRITING
★★☆☆☆ THEMES
★★★★☆ LONGEVITY
★★★★★ PRODUCTION
★★★★★ THRASHABILITY
SCORE:
★★★★☆ BADASS SH!T
Songwriting prowess is what separates classic thrash metal from mere thrashin' and here, girls and boys, we are dipping into the goddamn wellspring - asses first.
The first five songs are pure unadulterated dynamite
Tasty melodies topped with delicious shred and structurization denoting that this sh!t'll take you to places. Speed when speed is needed, slowing down for dramatic effect, and generally shaping the tune to elevate beyond what you expected. I guarantee you're left with a silly smile on your face afterwards - and maybe that cigarette.

The band strikes a masterful balance of sounding all over with the ruckus, and yet, keeping everything in check. Dylan Westendrop at drums also lets rip rather intense vocals.
Everything is in tick and the deliriously well played instruments don't clash an inch on the record - so this sounds bloody marvellous even in high, high volumes - as all Thrash Metal should be experienced.
Hazzerd finds room in the songs for the ol' pick slides and such tricks that I don't think are executed very elaborately or in meaningful ways nowadays. Here sh!t just plain fits which makes it special in my book.
Why so serious?
The band purposely shifts focus from the tried-and-true genre olds of societal destruction, mental issues and corruption of powers that be. The 3rd Dimension instead plays (peculiarly) on human condition as depicted in our tellies, games or books, and this does slap a great deal lighter overall tone on the package.
I don't generally mind lighter stuff at all because if you can't laugh at sh!t whats the point in anything - and as an 80's kid I loved Stranger Things, too! This does however shove us into the superficial spectrum. Its right around the time when 'Plagueis' hits, a song about an evil jedi (obviously not a jedi but a Dark Lord of the Sith, d'uh!), that we're skidding along at the neutral border to the humour quadrant.
A slippery slope if there ever was one
I almost never (I don't think) obsess songs by name in these things (one way or another) because of the obvious reasons - starting with creating unnecessary expectations and all that. Here however I think I have to give a little heads up purely on the account that the first half of the album is Thrash Metal bliss. In the wake of what paved the way the latter half of this thing does feel like its whipped together from spare parts - some are on par, sure, but there's a reason why they're spares.
Taking few steps back the album undoubtedly looks like its creators: young fellas saturated by our popular culture and media, having a blazingly good time together. I can get behind that! I can also absolutely understand deep dive concept albums but The 3rd Dimension is merely pointing at shop windows. There's also the glaring issue of balance that skews the revisits as the first half is such a triumph of Thrash Metal.
Badass sh!t nonetheless!