Reviewed at www.the-plague.com
Tearabyte-
Embrace Oblivion(Screaming Ferret)
Tearabyte plays a rather straight-forward brand of modern retro thrash
metal that manages to show some potential. Bassist/vocalist Al Mead spent
the 80s in the minor league outfit Knightmare and even survived some time
in GG Allin's outfit before ending up in Dallas, where he put together
Tearabyte with his brother Kevin (guitar) and drummer Jeff Owens. "Road
Rage" is pretty straight-forward hardcore-inflected, mid-tempo thrash.
The vocals are fairly old-school in nature but are mixed a little strangely,
making them seem a bit disembodied from the music. The title track is
next and is much more interesting, featuring a cool chugging riff and
a more memorable chorus. "Strike the Enemy" features a cool,
more modern-sounding riff, while "Tear it Up" passes by without
making much impression. "Lash of the Gash" gives Anvil a run
for their money in the lyric department but falls a bit short musically.
"It's All a Lie" proves more interesting, while "Screaming
Pig Fucker From Hell" lives up to its overly crude title (closer
to GG here than Anvil this time). Instrumental "Spear of Destiny"
features a nice crunchy riff and the album closes with a cool and surprisingly
faithful version of the Johnny Cash classic, "Ring of Fire."
Stylistically, Tearabyte remind me of several dissimilar bands at different
times, from Nuclear Assault to Hallow's Eve to Exodus. Which means that
Tearabyte is definitely onto their own sound here and it is one that should
prick up the ears of elder thrash fans looking for something new. Embrace
Oblivion is a mixed bag, but there are some decidedly meaty cuts to be
found within and it is always cool to hear a band keeping alive the tradition
of classic thrash metal. More info: http://www.tearabyte.com (Review by
Daniel Hinds)
Reviewed at www.dailyvault.com
www.dailyvault.com
Originally published: July 16, 2002
Tearabyte-
Embrace Oblivion(Screaming Ferret)
Tearabyte is a mixed-bag that is more pleasure than pain. On one hand,
the band wants to be taken very seriously as a metal band. As musical
cousins to a Slayer or Anthrax, the band is a good to above-decent thrash
band. Opening track "Road Rage" borrows, thematically, from
the Offspring's "Bad Habit" (from Smash), spinning a tale of
"pedestrians scatter run for your lives/ won't stop till your carcass/
is my finish line" following up with "you know I'll run you
down."The title cut of this release follows and is a good example
of metal done right. Guitarist Kevin Mead introduces an errie theme before
bassist/vocalist Al Mead and drummer Jeff Owens come in to drive the song
about the "downfall of man is what is in store." The vocals
are melodic and, for such a serious subject, deliver the message of a
bleak outlook on life. The guitar solo is equally melodic, although short.
Drummer Owens pounds a heavy backbeat with some tasty ride cymbal accents.
Then, on the other hand, you get to the quad of songs that finish out
the CD. "Screaming Pig" (the abbreviated title of the actual
title of this song) spits venom with its lyrics, so outrageously vulgar,
that I can't help chuckle when I hear/read them. It seems to be the result
of a late night, alcohol- soaked, beer bong bonanza of "how much
can we throw into a song." Remarkably, the song is a gem musically.
The following track "Pissing Contest" carries forward thematically
the dissing of the subject as Al Mead questions, " . . . who cares/
when you claim to be something your [sic] not/ . . . friendship you'll
never know/ meaningless unworthiness/ arrogance vengeance/ trust a word
you don't understand/ your best friends are arrogance and ego." Obviously,
this person is not on Mead's top 100 list. The instrumental "Spear
Of Destiny" is a good driving mid-tempo of thrash metal done right.
The melody is interesting and the drums synch with the change into a straight-ahead
thrash tempo. When that song ends, you get "Ring Of Fire", a
Johnny Cash cover. Like "Screaming Pig", I can't help chuckle
at this song. It is well-done, musically.The CD tracks in at 50 minutes
and at the end of repeatedly listening to this CD, I am gathering this
band's rehearsals would be a treat to sit on. They exhibit a sense of
humor and can back it up with interesting music. I look forward to this
band's future releases. RATING: B+
© 2002 Paul Hanson and "The Daily Vault". (Review by: Paul Hanson)
Reviewed at www.roughedge.com
Tearabyte-
Embrace Oblivion(Screaming Ferret
Tearabyte seem to have removed all of the strings from their electric
guitars and replaced them with the bigger, throbbier strings of a bass.
If you're looking for heavy, look no further because, believe me, this
is it. Like Testament and perhaps Overkill, Tearabyte thrive on the low
end of the musical spectrum. Their songs are bottom-heavy, evenly paced
(never too fast) and designed for maximum impact. The opening chords of
the CD's first track, "Road Rage," set the tone and it never
changes throughout. Fortunately, although the band's typical sound never
strays too far from its center, each song is structured so that it stands
out on its own. The only weak song on the CD is "It's All A Lie,"
which rumbles along nicely enough but doesn't ever really go anywhere
either. The CD's best tracks are the title track, the unabashedly angry
"Road Rage," "Price of Evil" and the Southern-fried
cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." One thing is certain:
I hope Tearabyte didn't form a band for the same reason Blackie Lawless
of "W.A.S.P." originally did (when asked, Blackie answered,
"To get my dick sucked.") Women are likely to find "Last
of the Gash" and "Screaming Pig Fucker From Hell" (no,
I am not making it up) so offensive that they'll probably bring rotten
tomatoes and picket signs to a Tearabyte show. Then again, it works for
GWAR. Tearabyte is: Al Mead - bass, lead vocals; Kevin Mead - guitar,
backing vocals; Jeff Owens - drums. For more information, check out http://www.tearabyte.net.
(Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton)
Review at Metal Rules July 2002
Tearabyte-
Embrace Oblivion(Screaming Ferret)
Brothers Al and Kevin Mead form the bass and guitar backbone of Tearabyte,
who, along with drummer Jeff Owens, have offered up this slab of old school
traditional thrash metal from Texas. The original incarnation of Tearabyte
rose in Los Angeles, CA in 1998, formed by Al Mead with a different line-up
on guitars and drums. They released their debut DOOM GENERATION
before calling it quits. Shortly after, Al Mead relocated to Texas and
reformed Tearabyte with the current line-up. Thrash fans will enjoy Tearabyte
because this band is all about riffs. Thick, heavy riffing. Listening
to EMBRACE OBLIVION, it is obvious that the Mead bros. have not forgotten
about the old school. Tearabyte play thrash metal that fuses some of the
classic bay area thrash sound with the thicker sound of the almighty Overkill,
albeit a bit slower than Overkill. A sludgy, almost doomish riff opens
the album on “Road Rage” before the song picks up tempo. The vocals here
are rather typical clean shouted thrash vocals with somewhat of a rough
cigarette-destroyed edge to the voice. Following “Road Rage” is the title
track of the album, slowing the tempo down again without diminishing the
heaviness of the album. “Strike The Enemy” is up next, a fast-paced song
in the bay area thrash style, which really stands out to me as the best
song on the album. In addition, songs like “One More Day,” and “Lash Of
The Gash” fill the album with some very good tracks. What self-respecting
thrash band would sing about anything other than aggression, misanthropy,
and sexual anger? Tearabyte is no exception in this department, either.
The only song on the album that I do not care for is “Screaming Pig Fucker
From Hell,” which is sexually explicit and rather disgusting. As the album
nears the end, the instrumental “Spear Of Destiny” showcases the bands
skill as musicians and songwriters. Though the lyrics may be quite amateur,
there is no doubt that Tearabyte play with the passion of three guys who
just want to play no-frills old school metal. The album closes out with
a cover of “Ring Of Fire,” originally performed by country musician Johnny
Cash,and Tearabyte make fun work of the song. The band’s biggest strength,
I believe, comes from having two brothers form the musical and creative
battery, which lends itself to a cohesive band unit. Tearabyte isn’t about
being the most original, creative, or technical metal band; they are about
playing metal in the classic 80s style.
EMBRACE OBLIVION is about three guys who just want to crack a few beers, have a good time, and play some good, solid metal. (Reviewer: Night of the Realm.)
Review at Sleaze Grinder June 2002
Tearabyte- Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret)
I remember standing in front of Jack's back in the early 80's watching Knightmare grind out their proto- stoner thrash metal through the picture window, thinking they were the absolute tits because they were loud and hairy and were personal friends with GG Allin. That club burned down a while later. I'm not sure if the two events are related or not, but probably. Tearabyte are ex-Knightmare members that moved their biker thrash from New Hampshire to Texas, but besides a warmer climate and 17 years, not much has changed. "Embrace Oblivion" has the classic horse galloping riffs and chest beating battle fetish of Iron Maiden or Metal Church, and Tearabyte could've easily hit the streets around the same time as Grim Reaper's "See You in Hell" and nobody would've blinked or called the time police. That's not to say that Tearabyte are revivalists, because in one form or another, they've been playing this kind of meat and potatoes metal for decades. 'Embrace Oblivion' is supposed to help usher in a return to American thrash metal, which means the end of all that horrible nu-metal, so I'm all for it, man. Got the bullet belt and everything. Don't expect many new twists on the formula here, but when's the last time you were looking for an innovative thrash metal record anyway? Just bang thy fuckin' head, (Review by earthdog.)
Review at Rock and a Hard Place June 2002
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Sometimes I think I just take my metal too seriously. Along comes a band who gashes huge holes in my speakers with some heavy-ass songs with titles like Road Rage, Lash Of The Gash, Screaming Pig Fucker and Pissing Contest. Generally I'd just toss this aside and move on with my life but there's more under the surface and what I found in here are some great tunes that dangerously resemble the old school slamming of Nasty Savage, Manilla Road and Tyrant. With as much death metal as I listen to I sometimes like to actually understand what the singer is saying. This band delivers and although they will win no prizes for deep lyrical content they manage to get their message across. I believe this band is about having some fun while still playing some damn heavy music as the tunes just rumble down the track with some good riffing and also some suprising soloing thrown in as well. Hey, not everyone can play "thinking man's metal". When you just want to pound some beers and crank up the tunes with the boys this is certainly a cd to entertain AND supply the metal fix all in one. (Review by Axeman)
Review at Electric Basement May 2002
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Thicker and less frenetic than Slayer, but as energized and coherent as early Testament, tossing up a few blistering oldschool solos and you have Tearabyte. As if spawned from some sort of ugly sewer in thrash happy '85, there is nothing here that would suggest this is anything other than a cult classic ripped from the vaults of some seedy indie label gone under. Everything from the production to the music itself is a replica of a time passed. This was a time with less calculation and more spontaneity than the cooky cutter nu-metal legion that has stolen the mass media label of "metal", if only for now. Vocally rather street and faceless, but still very much in tune with the rumblings in the background. Basically, a completely unabashed throw back to SF in the day, ripping off Poison shirts of the innocent and replacing them with the evil of a Slayer Reign in Blood wife beater tank top.- The Rock Devil
Interview
at The Edge Magazine - July 2002
www.theedgemagazine.com
At their site www.theedgemagazine.com/july2002tearabyte.htm
Or at our
site
Interview
at Hellride Music - May 13, 2002
www.Hellridemusic.com
At their site http://www.hellridemusic.com/bands/t/tearabyte_interview.shtml
Or
at our site
Music
Extreme - May 16, 2002
www.musicextreme.com
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords, 2002)
This is a band that is extremely heavy. And that doesn't mean that they
are extremely fast. In fact they prefer to not abuse the fastest parts
and they use a lot of mid paced parts and riffs. The vocals reminded me
of Grip Inc?s Gus Chambers, specially on tracks like "Embrace Oblivion".
The main thing here are the songs and they are really heavy. But they
also have memorable choruses and great solos. There are killer melodies
and the riffs are very original on most of the tracks. I wouldlike the
band to mix the guitars a little bit louder (so the hihat doesn't opaque
certain frequencies).Great songs !! Again, I think the main point here
are the killer riffs that give the band a lot ofidentity (sometimes they
have great thrash metal influences). I recommend this one. Favoritetracks:
"Embrace Oblivion", "One More Day" and "Screaming
Pig".
(Federico Marongiu from musicextreme.com, Buenos Aires, Argentina.)
MegaKungfu
- May 8, 2002
www.megakungfu.com
Tearabyte
- Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
If you happen to be wandering the streets and come across the Mead brothers.,
run like a mutherfucker! These guys are bad ass metal dudes and could
kick your ass. With that said, their band is as metal as it gets! Think
old Metallica from the days of "Kill Em All" meets some old
school Slayer. Obviously big names to compare with, but the influences
are there. "Embrace Oblivion" is a fitting name for the record.
"Road Rage" begins with a brooding lick. Evil! From that point
forward the band kicks it into high gear and lets the guitars fly! Al
sounds disturbingly like Hetfield from back in the hay day! The chorus
is neat, there is some low end death metal vocals that let the blood splatter.
And as if that is not enough destruction there is a guitar riff that breaks
in that is fast, furious and reeks of "The Four Horsemen". Kick
ass! Whirling guitars kick "Strike The Enemy" into high gear.
Bruising the band chugs at a heavy pace. Owens unleashes some nifty drums
licks while the evil Mead's create a feeling of Hell. The bridge breaks
into the chorus where the band snarls "Strike the accursed,
kill the enemy, hiding in the night". Be sure to let your hair fly
for the guitar solo. METAL! Devil horns are in order! The reference to
Slayer is fitting on "One More Day". Yet again the vocal structure
has a Metallica feel to it. But the guitars are unrelenting as they create
all kinds of sounds to bust the pit up to. The middle portion of the track
slows down a bit, and a guitar slowly build the mood. From there they
jam out! Fuck the neighbors?turn this fucker up! Don't go buying this
CD thinking you will hear the modern day " Angel Of Death",
or "Jump In The Fire". The references to Slayer and Metallica
were used to give you an idea of the sound. What those two bands did back
in the 80's will never be surpassed. But Tearbyte is the perfect band
to bring you back and make you remember why that music is so fucking good.
Go see these bastards live, just watch out for the Mead's! If they are
anything like their music they will kick your ass!
Derek's scale of 1 to 10: 7.5, Riffs, solo's, and snarling vocals! Old
school done right!
(Review by Derek Showerman)
Rock
N Roll Experience - May 1, 2002
www.angelfire.com/rock/e4/may2002.html
Tearabyte
- Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Thrash Metal, very heavy, & obviously very influenced by Kill Em All
era Metallica! That's a brief description of Tearabyte...a guitar shredding
band that's brand of music is loud, fast, & very tuned down! "Road
Rage" sounds like a left-over from the Kill Em All Sessions by Metallica,
which is a very good thing! The surprise track on this disc is the bands
cover of the Johnny Cash classic "Ring Of Fire". I've heard
several bands do this song, including Social Distortion..I think that
rockers like Johnny Cash so much because he is the bad guy in country
who wore black & just looked cool, but anywho, their cover is nothing
like the country soaked original, their version is played through a Marshall
at 11+! If you were a fan of Overkill, Exodus, or Anthrax, back when those
bands were heavy (lol), then you'll love this heavy metal opus!
Indepthzine
- April 30, 2002
www.indepthzine.com
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
It's always a good thing to remember where you came from and to look back
at your musical roots. Texas based Tearabyte has done just that
with their Screaming Ferret Wreckords release "Embrace Oblivion".
Yeah, you're saying they're on a small New Hampshire based indie label
so they must be a struggling hardcore band. That's the stereotype.
The reality is Tearabyte has that CLASSIC underground, 80's thrash metal
feel from the opening licks of "Road Rage" to the closing verse
on "Ring Of Fire". Was it pointed out to you that this
sonicly pleasing sound is made by only 3 metalheads? Al Mead (bass,
vocals), Kevin Mead (guitar) and Jeff Owens (drums) put all they have
into Tearabyte and the finished product is something they should each
be proud of. Songs like "Strike The Enemy" and "Tear
It Up" capture a feel reminiscent of the EARLY days of Overkill,
Motorhead, and Slayer. Any number of the pioneers of metal could
be pointed to as a musical influence. Check out the Exodus feel on "One
More Day"! Don't expect any nu-metal here. Tearabyte
is all about how well 3 guys can play their hearts out together and that
emotion shows on "Under The Sand", and "Lash Of The Gash".
Long hair, denim jackets and of course, the big climactic chorus right?!
Tearabyte hasn't forgotten that either! Check out "It's All
A Lie"! The guitar lines laid down by Kevin Mead are unique
in each song and complement the direction of the song perfectly as on
"Price Of Evil". With the opening line of "Squeal
like a pig bitch!" how can you not like "Screaming Pig"?!
Just wait until you hear the rest of the song...it's got that same unadulterated
abandon as the good ol Mentors did back in the day! Like a classic
muscle car, it might take a while to get started but once it does, you'll
love the hum of the engine. The same theory holds true to "Pissing
Contest"! Something that hasn't been seen in quite a while
(unless you are Karma To Burn then you did this on your entire album)
is the instrumental. "Spear Of Destiny" is the title of
this instrumental and hats off to Al, Kevin and Jeff for a classic song.
The fun isn't over yet until the last lick of the happy go lucky attitude
of "Ring Of Fire". Tearabyte has done a great job of
keeping the clean classic metal sound alive and well. They've already
covered the country on tour in 2001 and plan to do it again this year
which has already included a stop at the Metal Meltdown 4 in New Jersey.
For all the latest, be sure to check out Tearabyte's official website
at http://www.tearabyte.net! Rating 8 of 10.
(Review by Anthony Pagano In Depth E-Zine)
Hellride Music - April 29, 2002
www.hellridemusic.com
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming
Ferret Wreckords)
The new-school of the old-school are hitting
the Barnes mailbox fast and furious. Big Daddy Barnes is pleased. This
time we have a high-quality nugget of molten metal from the Tearabyte
folks. Ahhh! Tearabyte blends the Bay Area sound of the '80's with a bit
of NWOBHM and a hint of the Florida sound in the nose. If this were your
finely blended cup of gourmet coffee, Starbucks stores across the land
would be spontaneously exploding - which really may not be a bad thing.
The coffee culture needs a shake-up. Classic thrash has always embraced
the "Me vs. Them" theme, Tearabyte is no exception. Bassist/vocalist
Al Mead (ex-Prime Evil and Knightmare) spits out misanthropic lyrics with
suitable aplomb while chugging out bass lines like Steve Harris in overdrive.
So when he's bellowing "Strike the accursed! Kill the Enemy!",
you know the dude is no stranger to these kind of thoughts. I'm also happy
to report that Tearabyte know how to take the piss in classic Anthrax
fashion, as one look at the lyrics to "Screaming Pig Fucker From
Hell" and the traditional approach to Johnny Cash's "Ring of
Fire" will attest. In short, a nice return to a classic metal sound.
Funny fuckers too. (Chris Barnes)
Strange
Aeons - April 18, 2002
strangeraeons.tripod.com
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Oblivion is right. The Texas band Tearabyte creates Sludgy Doom Metal
like few others. Their latest offering of drear, titled "Embrace
Oblivion" [Screaming Ferret Wreckords], is an abyssal slab of sonic
gloom charged with pure intensity. The vocals are midrange with a slight
(very slight) aggressive quality. The guitars have a sludgy, distorted
clamor. Tearabyte is massive. The best songs include "Pissing
Contest," the crushing attack of "One More Day," "Spear
Of Destiny," "Strike The Enemy," and "Embrace Oblivion."
In summary, Tearabyte can hold their own with the masters of the style.
And they will just get better. So, get with the gloom. Stay savage. Farewell.
Related Bands: Saint Vitus, Down, Obsessed, SunnO))), Unearth, Trouble,
Stygian, Black Sabbath, Boris, Cathedral, Sons Of Otis, Goliath, Electric
Wizard, etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. (Bill Vogel
III) Copyright 2002.
Westwood
One - The Fax April 2,2002
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
It's metal the way it was supposed to be. Hard, thrash, in-your-face,
and sung by leader
Al Mead. Check out Tearabyte at the New Jersey Metal Meltdown IV, April
6, 2002.
Harderbeat
- March 2001
www.harderbeat.com
Tearabyte - Embrace Oblivion (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Old school metal lives again. Terrabyte is a local metal band that’s embraced
the sound of the roots of metal. (Compare their sound to Metallica’s Kill
‘Em All or Slayer’s Show No Mercy). They’ve captured the intensity and
anger that all those nu-metal bands seem to have forgotten. Album highlights
include “Road Rage,” “Tear It Up” and “Screaming Pig Fucker..” The entire
CD is laced with the attitude of thrash with elements of good, old-fashioned
heavy metal. Check these guys out.
You’ll hear what metal should sound like. (Matt Adkins)