Review Summary: Charlie Griffiths gets his Thrash PhD
It’s been just three years since Charlie Griffiths (of Haken fame) caught me completely off guard with an album-of-the-year contender. Mind you, I’m not a huge Haken fan—I’ve only spun The Mountain and Visions more than a couple of times. But when I stumbled across Tiktaalika’s video on YouTube back in 2022, curiosity got the best of me. Thank God it did.
At first, I was slightly let down by this album’s straight thrashy approach. The opening tracks feel like transitioning from
Souls of Black into
The Ritual, and by the second song, you're knee-deep in
Countdown to Extinction territory. While that’s great for thrash fans, I initially missed the proggier elements of Griffiths' previous work, where I heard strong echoes of Nevermore and Symphony X.
But this is a slow burner, and it took me a few spins to truly appreciate its hidden gems. Yes, it’s thrashy, but beneath the relentless riffage, there are layers of subtle progressiveness, seamlessly woven into the album. But make no mistake, this is a worship of thrash's greatest moments.. An example? The mid-section of the bonus track
Chicxulub: one moment, you're in that wild, shredding finale of
Five Magics, and just when you expect
Poison Was the Cure to kick in, a
My Friend of Misery-esque bass melody takes over, only to suddenly shapeshift into
Battery’s acoustic intro. This is a love letter to the golden era of thrash, and for a moment, it feels like 1990 all over again.
This time, Griffiths has released the album under the Tiktaalika moniker rather than as a solo project. While his previous effort lyrically explored the Tiktaalik’s first steps onto land (
I wish it had never left the water!), this album delves into reptilian overlords, religion, and humanity.
Vocally, most of the same guests return—Daniël de Jongh, Tommy Giles Rogers, and Rody Walker among others—but the big difference here is the addition of his Haken bandmate Conner Green on bass. And boy, does it show. The bass work is a major highlight, though every instrument shines in a mix that is simply flawless. Each note is crystal clear, yet everything blends together as a cohesive unit, giving every player space to breathe when needed.
Give this album a shot. It easily outshines the recent efforts of the aforementioned bands (maybe with the exception of Testament).
