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░ ██ ██ Artist: Viking ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: No Child Left Behind █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-07-03 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Thrash Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: self-released ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ It took a reformation in 2011 by founders Ron █
█ Daniel Eriksen & Matt Jordan to resurrect Viking █
█ back from the dead. And since that time, the act █
█ has been playing live frequently with a remaining █
█ lineup featuring newcomer Justin Zych (guitars) & █
█ Mike Gonzalez (bass) of Dark Angel fame. Seasoned █
█ veteran Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Testament, Death, █
█ Forbidden, etc.) has also been involved with the █
█ group and handled the drum work here (although █
█ Matt apparently remains as the full-time drummer). █
█ █
█ The result here would be an album that took 26 █
█ years in the making which was well worth the wait, █
█ as it burned from start to finish. Ron sounded █
█ better than ever on vocals (while including his █
█ notable falsetto screeches on occasion), as well █
█ as the Dark Angel rhythmic backbone of Mike & Gene █
█ pummeling everything in their path. Justin's lead █
█ guitar role has also been a godsend for the group █
█ as he managed to incorporate a reckless yet █
█ controlled style of blazing talent while bringing █
█ additional energy in order to keep the act true to █
█ their frenetic roots. The production was also █
█ clear as well as the lyrical content being █
█ exceptionally original (it doesn't get any better █
█ than songs like "Eaten By A Bear" & "9:02 On █
█ Flight 182"). Nothing ever gets boring here and █
█ the music is just as effective when pacing at warp █
█ speed or during mid-tempo segments. █
█ The more I listen to this album, the more I get █
█ out of it, as this is Bay Area thrash of the █
█ highest order. "No Child Left Behind" sounds just █
█ as good as both Slayer & Testament in peak form █
█ with Viking obviously being no strangers to the █
█ hallowed halls of traditional thrash themselves. █
█ It's clearly apparent that a lot of time was spent █
█ with the whole process here, and I would think it █
█ being a matter of time before a notable label █
█ signs the group and picks up this release in the █
█ near future. It took quite a long time, but Viking █
█ are back and they mean business... █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. 9:02 on Flight 182 5:31 ░
░ 2. By the Brundlefly 3:36 ░
░ 3. Blood Eagle 4:45 ░
░ 4. Debt to Me 4:33 ░
░ 5. An Ideal Opportunity 4:04 ░
░ 6. Eaten by a Bear 5:45 ░
░ 7. Wretched Old Mildred 7:25 ░
░ 8. A Thousand Reasons I Hate You 4:58 ░
░ 9. Helen Behind the Door 6:10 ░
░ 10. Burning from Within 3:59 ░
░ 50:46 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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