The Thrashers take a surf punk take on killer robots

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Winnipeg based surf punk band  The Thrashers explored surfing and shark attacks on their last full length CD and skating on their most recent EP. Now they  take the next  logical step— killer robots on their new CD “ Robot Invaders from the Death Galaxy.”Click Here to hear the Thrashers
 It opens with a Ventures style, twangy instrumental “ Surfer’s Graveyard.” which sets the spooky tone of the CD. it features ’50s  science fiction radio  drama inspired dialogue and a  twangy  sound reminiscent of “Shadowy Men From A Shadowy Planet as well as the instrumental surf rock of the ’60s. They crash into “ Underwater“ after that, adding a few  watery sound effects
 It is a Cd  full of  ’60sish instrumentals and jagged, straight ahead quirky, surf punk that is as much fun a a concept  album about killer robots can be. Their  songs are interspersed with ’50s style science fiction radio drama dialogue.
 They have some catchy quasi-instrumentals like “ Evolution is Slow,”  and the CD ending “ Ghost Tree which are reminiscent of Shadowy Men From a A Shadowy planet.
 While there is  nothing quite as twistedly brilliant as “Shark Attack”, there are some inspirational moments like “Party on the Moon” and the title track, which though it is about robots,  seems eerily relevant today.
 The title track “ Robot Invaders From the Death Galaxy” reminds me of a lost track from original L.A. punks the Angry Samoans.
The adenoidal vocals on other tracks like “ Unknown World” and “ Webbed Feet” are reminiscent of Jello Biafra and the Dead Kennedys.
 At  a spare 29 minute long the10 tracks on the CD will take you on an escapist journey  into your favourite pulp fiction science fiction novel. Last year a Vancouver band called the Binz released a similarly themed album about killer robots. So here’s hoping killer robots will usurp vampires and zombies as the pop culture flavour of the day. Though the Thrashers  have a catchy number called “Zombie Twist”  that wouldn’t be out of place alongside “Monster Mash” or songs from the Rocky Horror Show.
 — By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
 CD: Robot Invaders from the Death Galaxy
Band: The Thrashers
Genre: surf-punk


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