Xentrix “For Whose Advantage?” CD

A number of people have been emailing me requesting more thrash, which is always a good sign, so I guess I should give the people what they want from time to time, eh? So here it is. Some of you might remember Xentrix from when I featured this album on the original version of my site several years ago, but for those unaware, Xentrix formed in the UK in the late-80's, and "For Whose Advantage?" (1990, Roadrunner) was their second and best effort. Xentrix is definitely one of those bands that probably would've been huge had they been from California or something, but alas, they were pretty sorely overlooked even during the time when they were at their best. Easily the best UK thrash metal band I've ever heard, this record churns out precisely the kind of thrash that I love: Major crunch, light melody, and pretty damn catchy songwriting with just the right amount of loose technicality. The tracks generally run from four to six minutes with plenty of solos and lots of instrumental breaks (a must for thrash), so there are loads of meaty picking patterns and interesting chord phrasings, plus some solid dual guitar interaction as well. There's a very Bay Area sound happening with a lot of the riffs, but Xentrix definitely had their own feel. A lot of what I've read draws very heavy comparisons to Metallica, but that's bullshit, because this band doesn't really sound anything like Metallica to me sans a few snippets of the vocal performance or a little harmony here and there. I've always felt that what they do is very recognizable as Xentrix, and they were never half as generic as a lot of the thrash that was around in those days.

Xentrix actually reunited for some live shows with their original lineup a few months ago, though I'm not sure what else that might yield (if anything). Sadly all of their material is way out print and can be quite hard to find. As recently as four or five years ago you could get this disc for maybe $5, and it still seems easier to find than the others for some reason, but it's all become rarer and more expensive these days, which is just a crime. All you can really do is search eBay and hope for the best. Roadrunner is retarded and needs to reissue the goldmine of thrash they're sitting on immediately.