Hydra Vein CDs

 

Cost: $2.00 each

 

Hydra Vein - Rather Death than False of Faith

Hydra Vein - After the Dream 

Could not believe these were in the bargain bin and I went absolutely nuts when I saw these Back on Black reissues. I do have the older 2-on-1 CD that compiles both albums together, but these are much nicer in terms of layout. While it was nice to hear the demo bonus tracks on the debut, this is a case where I much prefer the album versions of the songs over the more clean-vocalled demo tracks.

 

After the Dream turned out to be a lot better than I remember. It's a very close call, but I think I'd pick the first album as my favorite of the two just for the better songwriting. The second album still has its own charms, and is a little faster and more vicious in certain parts.

 

I've seen vocalist Mike Keen get compared to Martin Walkyier, which I don't hear at all. Especially on Rather Death..., I hear a lot of the faux-English accent Holy Terror's Keith Deen slipped into (not his vocals as a whole, though). Then, oddly enough, I hear a version of Sy Keeler that I don't think technically exists--no crazy high stuff like on The Force, but not as hoarse and growly as on the Onslaught reunion stuff. 

 

While these are both very good albums, they're not my favorite British thrash by a longshot. In fact, I don't know what album I'd pick as my favorite (Xyster perhaps? Second Deathwish? Maybe even the D.A.M. debut). Quality-wise, I'd group them alongside stuff like Anihilated or the second Decimator album--solid and dependable listens, not quite top of the heap, but far above the Xentrixes, Slammers, Acid Reigns, and Re-Animators.