Metal Underground.com

When Pantera became metal icons in the ‘90s with their groove metal sound, it unleashed a wave of similar acts vying for the same result. While that movement has died down over the years, mixing groove tempos with manic thrashing is still a viable direction to take. Switchtense seems to feel this is the case, with their sophomore self-titled record as proof. The band tends to thrash more than groove, which works better for them anyway. Without the latter involved, the album becomes stale. Having competent musicians at the helm helps “Switchtense” to graze past below-average territory.

With “Concrete Walls,” the band doesn’t do themselves any favors in skirting out of mediocrity. Drawn-out and forgettable, it’s not a proper way to start the record. What is needed is an infection of attitude from the quintet, and thankfully, “Face Off” complies with that request. The band shakes off the rust and gets down to some gritty aggression. The comparison between “Concrete Walls” and “Face Off” is startling; almost a 180 shift in quality.

The rest of the twelve-track effort sticks to a punchy tempo heavy on the riffs and light on the melody. Slight groove mechanics can be heard on “In Front Of Your Eyes,” but the short “This Is Only The Beginning” and late highlight “The Legacy Of Hate” are uncut thrash. The record really lifts off from “Face Off,” though the album has the tendency to blur into an undistinguished block of music near the last third. A few shredding leads give some clarity to even the most redundant of moments.

Switchtense tries to remedy this with a few twists. “I Will Stand Stronger” has a Hatebreed/Sworn Enemy vibe with its chugging riffs and tough-guy antics. It’s not original, nor is it outlandish. The atmospheric keys on “Awaiting The Downfall” fit in better, giving the closer an epic feel missing from the rest of the songs. Something different like this would have imposed much-needed dynamics into the songwriting.

Having groove and thrash as bedmates has been lampooned to death, and Switchtense doesn’t do their part in putting a unique spin on it. However, they do know how to write a killer thrash tune, and that’s a positive attribute. The album gets off to a rocky start, but falls into place by the halfway mark, and gets out with little recourse. Hardcore fans of the genre won’t be bowing down in reverence at this record, but it has enough solid tunes to be worth at least a listen or two. The replay value will depend on how much groove somebody likes with their thrash.