Frank's Enemy

Item: Frank's Enemy
Author: Doug Van Pelt

(1994)

Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt

Discogs Bandcamp

Label Not SilentHeaven's Metal #49September/October 1994

crossover thrash death metal grindcore thrash metal

Welcome to the "Julio room" (the name Julio Rey's old bandmates in The Lead gave to his guitar stage volume), where energy and noise rule the day. If fast 'n' frantic make your world spin, Frank's Enemy is your best friend.

Be forewarned, though, these lyrics are as hard-hitting and hardcore as they come: "Like the death camp Jews who worked to finance their own deaths, money coming out of our pockets to misfeed heads." (from "Link Line"). In "Acts of Love," Julio talks about someone who contracted AIDS via homosexual relations: "Who was the human landmine that you shared passions with...so tempting to say it's all your fault, you asked for it all, hear judgment's call, til God pulls me from my sin and shows me all the hate I'm in." In "Man, You Made A Lonely World," Julio lambastes mankind's feeble attempts to better himself and the consequences we all face: "In the beginning there was Darwin and Marx, formulating theories to throw out God/artificial reality free of absolutes/The only sin left is telling the truth."

Musically, the band should feed the tastes of death metallers, due to 750 mph vocal growls and the extremely tight and aggressive runs that bassist Marc Golob, drummer Alex A. and Julio fuse themselves together with.

Best riff is found in "Psychic Pain," a monster-long tune with an extended jam. An even longer and surprising jam is found at the tail end of "Reasons To Say No." Not an album for Guardian fans, but those into thrash 'n' grind will find a real gem here.