### Anger Management: Beyond the threshold of pain

#### 15/02/11 || BigBoi

Anger Management: early example of Adam Sandler’s comedic regression, or promising UK thrash outfit? Wrong. The answer is both, but if you have the cojones to be visiting this site in the first place then you’d better be interested in the latter. “Beyond The Threshold Of Pain”, the first release by Anger Management (we’re done with the movie), is a 5 song, 18 minute punch to the throat that aptly highlights the better aspects of 90’s thrash and groove metal.

I wasn’t expecting much from an “up and coming” band that harkens the likes of Pantera, Sepultura, Testament etc., mainly because these new artists tend to clone past greats without shame or any improvement. While they certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel, it’s evident after the opener “Lifelong Suicide” that Anger Management possess enough grit, piss, and vinegar to differentiate themselves from the aforementioned shit heaps and copycats. “Show Your Anger” continues their path of aggression, injecting traces of melody into their established formula of not relying on blistering speed to carry the songs. This firm grasp of tempo is showcased in the headbang-inducing, and personal favorite, “Eyes of the Lifeless”, which pummels the listener with its mid-tempo, heavy approach.

The vocalist performs his duties nicely; thrash yells, hardcore screams, even some low end death growls (could be the bass player). There are several occasions in which he seems to be doing his best Randy Blythe impersonation, which is not a good thing. Not cool. Stop it. But the assault of groovy riffs, thrash oriented drumming, and whammy abused solos continuing straight to the end of the EP overshadows this minuscule setback. Basically, imagine if Lamb of God would stop dumpster-diving and mating with their cousins (that is what rednecks do, I assume) and you’d be in the ballpark. Comparisons aside, “Beyond The Threshold Of Pain” proved to be a surprisingly vicious and satisfying little EP worthy of attention. I dig.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Three Piece Recordings
- Website: Anger Management MySpace
- Band
- Matt Cox: vocals
- Shaun Jeffries: bass, backing vocals
- Will Lavis: lead guitar
- Jon Minnet: guitars
- Jamie Airns: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Lifelong Suicide
- 02. Show Your Anger
- 03. Eyes of the Lifeless
- 04. Fear and Self Loathing
- 05. Ignorance is Bliss