Tankard: Chemical Invasion (1987)

Well, since I just talked about Tankard yesterday, I do not really need to re-introduce them.  The German thrash metal band released their follow-up album to 1986's Zombie Attack the very next year. 

Tankard was already pretty damn good on their debut album, but they still managed to improve on their sophomore release.  If anything, this album is even more savage and biting than their first one, kicking off with some terrific riffs in "Total Addiction".  The songs are more sophisticated from a compositional standpoint, featuring varied structures and a more dynamic sound, rather than the more direct songs on the debut.  Shockingly, the band even uses some very pretty acoustic melodies leading into the instrumental "For a Thousand Beers", which is quite the dichotomy when considering the title.  But that song represents the best songwriting on the album.  The band also uses a blues riff to open the title track.

The band's sense of humor and obsession with alcohol persists.  "Tantrum" is about being pissed off that someone stole your beer.  And then there are songs like "Puke" and "Alcohol", which is re-recorded from their debut release.

I am just beginning to discover the music of Tankard with these two releases.  Their debut was impressive enough, but this is even better and belongs in the pantheon of great German thrash metal albums.  I will have to keep going with this band.  I still do not know if their larger body of work deserves to be held up with the Big Three (Destruction, Kreator and Sodom), but I could be convinced.

Tankard: Zombie Attack (1986)

From Tank to Tankard.  I remember a discussion on the metal forums about whether there is a actually a Big Four of German thrash metal.  Obviously there is a Big Three, consisting of Destruction, Kreator and Sodom.  But is there a fourth titan of Teutonic thrash?  Many members posited that if there were, perhaps that band would be the beer-loving goofballs in Tankard.  Personally, my vote would go to Holy Moses, but Tankard has been going fairly steadily ever since their formation in 1983.  So there is something to be said for longevity and consistency.

Zombie Attack is the debut album from Tankard, who got a bit of a later start in the game than their more well-known colleagues.  The band's sense of humor and light-heartedness is on display early on with the title track which talks about watching horror movies then finding it was coming true.  Tankard is definitely less serious than the members of the Big Three.  With songs like "Alcohol" and "(Empty) Tankard", their obsession with beer shines through.  The latter makes a terrific drinking song with a grooving stomping riff.

Musically, this is fast-paced thrash with a lot of bass-heavy riffs thrown out at the listener.  Despite it being a debut release, and the goofy lyrics, there is no doubt that this is a mature-sounding thrash metal outfit.  The riffing is surprisingly sophisticated, sounding like the work of a veteran band.  The vocals are often delivered in a harsh yell, but are often backed by gang vocals singing along during the chorus.

This is a damn impressive debut.  It is much more refined than the debuts by Destruction, Kreator and Sodom.  I am still not sure that Tankard belongs on the same level as the other three bands, but their debut fits in well.