Tankard

Korpiklaani – Rankarumpu Review

Korpiklaani – Rankarumpu Review

By GardensTale on April 10, 2024 in Reviews, Folk Metal, 32 comments

“Every metalhead has a few firsts when they’re just entering the scene. First band you became obsessed with. First live gig. Korpiklaani was neither of those for me, but it was the backdrop to my first moshpit, and the next few as well, when I had less than 10 bands in my metal library and the band only had its first 2 albums under the belt. Like many others, Korpiklaani drifted into my past, apart from an occasional nostalgic spin of “Wooden Pints” or “Cottages & Saunas.” Until a few weeks ago.” Flora and sauna.

Tankard – Pavlov’s Dawgs Review

Tankard – Pavlov’s Dawgs Review

By Maddog on October 5, 2022 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 15 comments

“I was overjoyed when Tankard asked me to pose for this lovely album art. Metal fuels my mind, and beer fuels my body; it’s a match made in heaven. Tankard realized this before I was born. These inebriated Germans have been around since the early days of German thrash, and their 1986 debut was released within months of Sodom’s Obsessed by Cruelty, Kreator’s Pleasure to Kill, and Destruction’s Eternal Devastation.” Beer drool.

Tankard – R.I.B. Review

Tankard – R.I.B. Review

By Al Kikuras on July 25, 2014 in 2014, German Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“Can you imagine having a hangover every day for 30 years straight? If Tankard live up to their brew-soaked legacy at all, they probably aren’t imagining it. They’re living it. Now, German thrash is a revered branch of the metal tree so you know the names. If there was a “Big Four” of Teutonic thrash, they’d be Kreator, Sodom and Destruction. No, my math isn’t off and no, I’m not a dozen beers in and forgot how to count. The fourth position would be up for grabs for a bevy of second and third tier bands like Darkness, Exumer, Deathrow, Iron Angel, Paradox… the list goes on. Good ‘ol Tankard is on that list. ” Here’s some old style thrash reviewed by our new (but kinda old) writer. Welcome the Amish Outlaw himself, Al Kikuras to AMG’s dysfunctional family.

Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse Review

Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse Review

By Steel Druhm on October 30, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Century Media, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 7 comments

“With Hallow’s Eve in the air and the holiday season just around the corner, I feel safe looking back on 2013 and saying it wasn’t the greatest year for metal. It’s certainly true that the better stuff seems to be coming out on the back-end, but overall, it has been a lean time for top-notch albums. This is especially true for the rethrash/thrash genre, with very few albums jumping out and smacking me in the gob. Keeping true to form, the better stuff is seeping out now, with solid releases from Death Angel and Toxic Holocaust and now, a winner from Warbringer. IV: Empires Collapse sees these California rethrashers take a big step from the effective, but somewhat generic Bay Area Thrash sound exhibited on Worlds Torn Asunder by adding a host of classic metal influences along with punk and blackened twists.” October was a good month for rethrash and it looks like Warbringer wanted to end things on a high note with their latest slice of speed.

Assassin – Breaking the Silence Review

Assassin – Breaking the Silence Review

By Steel Druhm on March 2, 2011 in 2011, 3.0, German Metal, Reviews, SPV, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 0 comments

It’s old folks week at the Angry Metal Guy offices. That’s because I, Steel Druhm, am officially old and I’ve been tossed assignments for Tankard, Jag Panzer and now, Assassin, the long running, though unproductive German thrash troupe. Along with the aforementioned Tankard, Assassin was part of the German wave of thrash that hit in the mid 80s. Also like Tankard, these guys were in the back of the pack, far behind luminaries like Sodom, Kreator and Destruction. Their 86′ debut The Upcoming Terror was solid, reminded me of a poor man’s version of Artillery (who were amazing on their first two albums by the way) and some even considered it a cult classic. Their 88′ follow up Interstellar Experience was actually less than stellar and passed without much fanfare. After that there was a long period of inactivity due to equipment theft and they didn’t resurface until 2005’s The Club which was uninspiring to say the least (flaming coyote poo to say the most). Now they’re back with album four, Breaking the Silence and a nifty looking cover featuring the return of those bad ass tanks from their debut. So, did these gents fare better than those booze-hounds in Tankard whose album I only just defiled via review? Has the worm turned for these stoic thrashers or was their reformation as unfortunate an idea as wasabi flavored gummy bears? All these questions and more shall be answered so read on intrepid metal fans.

Tankard – Vol(l)ume 14 Review

Tankard – Vol(l)ume 14 Review

By Steel Druhm on February 27, 2011 in 2.0, 2011, AFM Records, German Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 2 comments

Wow, back in the day when the first few Tankard albums stumbled into the light like a wino from a dark alley, I never imagined these guys would be around very long. While amusing, they were the essence of a third tier act and didn’t stand out all that much even in the heyday of thrash. Well, since I now find myself reviewing album fourteen by these alcohol fueled Germanic thrashers, I would say I was pretty wrong about my initial impressions. While these guys were never in the same league as Sodom, Kreator or Destruction they still managed to become an enduring and productive minor league team. Unlike their bigger peers in the German thrash scene, Tankard was always silly, tongue-in-cheek and largely wrote on the few topics they knew best: drinking, partying and alcohol. Since I myself was a hard partying youth, I casually enjoyed their Chemical Invasion and The Morning After releases for their good humor and frantic pace. After that they dropped off my radar and only in the past week did I start getting to know the Tankard again. Although the goofy, “anything goes” feel is still there, the music and writing doesn’t hold up like I remember it. Once the nostalgia factor wore off, things started tasting a little skunky.