Remember the old days when Thrash Metal was so popular it made New Wave look like it was going out of style? You could walk into any record store from here to Timbuk 2 and find stacks of albums from ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, SLAYER, DEATH ANGEL, MEGADETH etc. without any trouble. Try doing that these days. The truth is, Thrash never died; it just hasn't been given the notoriety it deserves for some time. Those who come from the old school (and in some cases the new school) know exactly what I'm talking about. The good news is, Thrash is still alive and kicking in 2008, thanks to the aforementioned bands who never gave up on what they're doing, simply for the love of the music - NOT money. So that's why when you see a band kneel down before the throne of Thrash Metal, and take the oath to continue its legacy, one can do nothing more than appreciate their efforts.

One such band is BONDED BY BLOOD, a five-piece band from Los Angeles, CA who are hell-bent on playing raw, 100% authentic Thrash 'til the end. It's quite obvious that these guys live, breathe and eat Thrash, if anything just by naming themselves after one of the most classic of all classics - EXODUS' "Bonded By Blood". What some may not know is that these guys are young (average age 18). God love 'em. It's not often that a group of youngsters get together and choose to play Thrash Metal over Rap, Hip Hop, R&B or whatever. Good choice indeed.

The most important thing about BONDED BY BLOOD is, however, that they perform their brand of Thrash the way it was played in the old days, the way it should be. With their debut full-length, "Feed The Beast", BONDED BY BLOOD show the world that Thrash Metal truly is alive, and that there is still more than enough room on this planet for it to flourish. Right from the get-go, it's non-stop hellacious mayhem coming at you from all directions. "Immortal Life" starts the sequence in fine Thrash form with all the ingredients that are unique to Thrash itself. Jose "Alladin" Barrales' vocals fit in perfectly with the music and he allows the listener to understand the lyrics without too much difficulty. "Psychotic Pulse", "Necropsy", "Tormenting Voices" and "Vengeance" reign supreme with insane speed and precision, but really, there isn't a single trace of slow or mid-tempo songs anywhere on this disc. The band even do a whacky, hilarious version of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" theme. Crazy stuff. And if you buy the limited edition version, you'll get to sink your teeth into a few bonus tracks ("Severe Violation" and "Unusual Punishment").

The bottom line is that bands like BONDED BY BLOOD are needed in Metal today because they bring something fresh to the mix, which makes it interesting. Metal, not just Thrash Metal, is a style of music that needs to be exciting to be enjoyed, and without that there is not much to look forward to. BONDED BY BLOOD's "Feed The Beast" brings back Thrash Metal with a vengeance, with no fillers and no nonsense. The band may be young, but that certainly won't stop them from making an impact on the scene, providing that they keep up the pace. Cowabunga, dude!