Review Summary: rocks my socks
Holy Terror were a band that came, thrashed, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. They did manage to release two full length albums during their time as a band, the best of which is their second album
Mind Wars. This album is an explosive combination of unique vocals and blazing thrash that will cause you to wonder why these guys didn't stick around to make more thrash albums. Apparently all members of Holy Terror except for vocalist Keith Deen went on to form a punk band shortly album after this album's release, which is no surprise since these dudes pretty much sound like punks in thrashers' bodies. And they rule.
Much of this album is dedicated to mind-bogglingly fast thrash, with songs like "Debt of Pain" and "Do Unto Others" slaughtering everyone in their path at the speed of death. Somehow the band managed to slow things down occasionally on songs like "The Immoral Wasteland" which features awesome Maiden gallops and is probably the best song on the album. The guitarists thrash and shred so hard and fast on
Mind Wars it's amazing they lived to tell the tale. Perhaps even more amazing is how the drummer and bassist kept pace with them. But as awesome as the guitars are, it is Keith Deen's vocals that are the focal point of
Mind Wars in my opinion. His delivery is pretty varied and unique. The notes he belts out on the closing track "Christian Resistance" pierce right to the soul of the listener, and he sings so fast on tracks such as "Do Unto Others" and "No Resurrection" that he pretty much makes Tom Araya sound like a droopy-eyed child by comparison. There are even a couple of moments on the album where he lets out some growls as if he was a crazed orc delivering us a message from the depths of Mordor itself. He was clearly a talented and passionate singer and it is a shame he has since passed away.
Keith's vocals combined with the explosive performances of his band mates make
Mind Wars a highly enjoyable listen for any thrash fan. The social commentary found on this album would probably also appeal to fans of punk. It is unfortunate that these dudes weren't active long enough to make more albums under the Holy Terror name, but on the bright side I guess you could say this band is a great example of quality over quantity.
