MUNICIPAL WASTE 'The Art of Partying' (Earache) RATING: 8/10

By JEFF MAKI

Municipal Waste vocalist Tony Foresta proclaims that the band's new album, The Art of Partying, is “gonna rip your balls off.” Damn, well my balls are still here as far as I can tell, but my freakin' neck is pretty sore after burning through 15 hardcore thrashers averaging about 1:30 apiece. The album title says it all. Municipal Waste is all about bringing the fun and putting the “fuck you ” back into heavy metal.

“Born to Party” shouts: “Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up!” That they fuckin' do. Look at these song titles: ”Headbanger Face Rip,” “Lunch Hall Food Brawl,” “Beer Pressure,” “Born to Party,” just to name a few. These fuckers start and stop faster than you can smoke a fuckin' cigarette. (Ball check—yep, still there.) Remember Suicidal Tendencies and all their songs about skating? Well, this is almost the same thing, but instead of being “Possessed to Skate,” MW spouts off about beer and partying. The album cover says it all. How great is that? Entering the studio with Zeuss (Hatebreed, Shadows Fall) in early 2007, The Art of Partying sounds as if it was recorded in no more than six hours. But that's a good thing. D.R.I., S.O.D. and even Anthrax influences also rear their ugly, dusty heads on this album. Godamn, it's 198-fuckin'-6! Municipal Waste already has had a run on Sounds of the Underground and are known for having beer bongs, fuckin' dudes in shark costumes and “sadistic magicians” at their live shows, not to mention plenty of old school circle pit action. It looks and sounds like a good fuckin' time, which is exactly what the band is going for.

The Art of Partying picks up right where Hazardous Mutation left off. Don't expect a drastic change in sound anytime soon from these fuckers. No fuckin' trends, no fuckin' melodies, just straight-up breakneck, hardcore thrash metal done like only these boys can do. I don't care if every album sounds like the next. I'm from the old school somewhat myself, so I'll grab all these fuckers up as fast as they can chew 'em up and spit 'em out.