So what have we got…there's Dark Angel's "Darkness Descends", Sodom's "Persecution Mania", Slayer's "Reign In Blood", Destruction's "Eternal Devastation" and so forth…in case you still haven't figured it out, a list with the aforementioned albums in there would probably be referring to the fastest, speediest thrash albums coming out of the eighties. Somewhere in that list you should find Angel Dust's debut album "Into The Dark Past". Sometimes referred to as the invisible fourth pillar of German thrash metal (Sodom, Kreator and Destruction being the main three), Angel Dust never really did carve their name in stone during their thrash era because despite the greatness of this album, the band never pursued this sound further and disbanded after their next, more heavy metal oriented release "To Dust You Will Decay".
"Into The Dark Past" cannot disappoint any who wants raw, slicing thrash metal. The riffing is very similar to what the German school of thrash stood for – MANICAL! The German thrashers always played insanely faster riffs than the Bay area boys who compensated their guitar speed (in comparison to the Germans) with catchier hooks and inhuman drum work. I don't exactly know what's better, but Sodom and Angel Dust are of my favourites, so I'm going to go with the German style on this one.
"Legions of Destruction" and "Atomic Roar" would be examples of the sheer insanity compressed into this aural assault. The riffs and solos sound like the guitarists are having multiple seizures on the guitar and whatever that sound was, it got recorded and hailed as a masterpiece! If you enjoy speed, this is as fast as pure thrash metal is ever going to get. Thrashers should already have this in their collection. If you are not a thrasher and are trying to get in to that sound, the Bay area bands such as Megadeth, Testament, Slayer and *cough* Metallica *cough* would be better starts because they were slightly more catchy and a little less extreme than the Germans.
PS. This album is out of print, and as far as I am aware, it is only available on vinyl (or tape) for astronomically high prices only a rich ass with too much money can afford. If you haven't paid much for this album, OR own it on CD, then it is most likely an illegal bootleg. Sorry to break it to you :( I know…mine is the same thing. Anyway, bootleg or not, if you see this somewhere, grab it, because it is still worth gold.
