There is a very real appeal to bands who wear their influences on their sleeve. Even if they aren't incredibly good they certainly can be a blast to listen to, especially if it's clear that the guys in the band are having fun. Such is the case with National Suicide's latest offering, Anotheround. It's an album that touches on one of the key things that I love about heavy metal: that you can get in a room with your buddies and start playing riffs that ape Exodus with vocals that mimic Rob Halford and have the time of your lives, and make some pretty killer music too. It's obvious where National Suicide are coming from, and frankly speaking, they aren't great… but by Thor are they a fun listen. It's nice to every once in a while have a reminder about the youthful energy that got you into this in the first place, and that's exactly how I feel about diving into this record.
As generic as it might sound, Anotheround covers all the traditional heavy metal fare, both lyrically and musically. With songs about nights of partying, murderers and even heartbreak, it's clear that the dudes in National Suicide seriously love 80's metal. What makes me smile is the youthful ubiquity of it. The fact that they have shockers sitting next to glam rockers seems to make sense here. Why? Because it's all loud and rebellious, and apparently that's all we need. Musically speaking, this record seems to rehash a lot of 80's thrash metal ideas with a few glam or NWOBHM notions tossed in here and there. The guitar playing is especially flashy, which is a good time, and I love diving into the high energy explosions that are the guitar solos. Even as the band crunches forward on a song like "I Refuse To Cry" you can see a circle pit forming up and even imagine that one scrawny kid realizing that he is definitively caught in a mosh.
The interesting thing about Anotheround is that the lack of creativity isn't really a limiting factor. That probably doesn't make a lot of sense to the uninitiated so I will just say this: the point of National Suicide is not to impress you with a new breed of heavy metal or stunning songwriting (though the songwriting certainly is solid) but rather to remind you of good times that have passed us by. These guys aren't visionaries by any stretch of the imagination and to call them such would almost be an insult. In fact, National Suicide are quite the opposite: they have done a wonderful job of digesting what their 80's forefathers laid down for them and have since turned it into an exciting series of songs that will make you pump your fist in the air and smile as you sing along to the overblown choruses. Heavy metal is inherently a pretty silly thing, and it's better for all of us if we can just admit it. National Suicide have their limitations, but at least they understand it's only rock and roll – and are all the better because of it.
Score: 6/10
