I’m gonna go out on a real limb here and guess that you, dear reader, are probably no stranger to Horror films. You might even call yourself a fan of horror. Heck, I’m gonna double down here, and bet you might even have an affinity for shitty, low-budget horror flicks with the aesthetic appeal of a roadkill racoon wearing clown shoes in a pile of broken bottles and used needles.

So assuming this is all true – and if we’re keeping score, you:

 

1. Like metal.
2. Like shitty B-Horror flicks.
3. Have solid, if socially questionable tastes.

 

Friends, have I got a fun little EP for you!

Video Nasty is a 5-piece thrash outfit from Vancouver led by founding guitarist Jordan Schritt, whose love for the schlocky, lo-fi world of cult classic horror movies permeates everything about the band – the name itself, as I’ve just learned, comes from the European slang term for such flicks. Backed up with song titles like “Nightmare Beach” and “Black Christmas, and an album cover that looks straight off a VHS sleeve, these guys are going all-in on the theme here, and it’s fucking GREAT. The same campy, bloodthirsty fun you get from the movies on a sweet little 7-song EP.

The band’s brand of thrash is heavily inspired by old school, death-metal-leaning acts like Slayer, Sodom and certainly more than a little early Sepultura in the mix, and it’s all pulled off with the authenticity of long-time veterans (or obsessive fans, as the case may be). We’re talking blistering, no-holds-barred riffs on top of riffs on top of MORE RIFFS. The bulk of this is a full-throttle attack, with King/Hanneman-inspired riffing on ultrasonic tracks “Nightmare Beach,” “Castle Freak” and “Black Christmas” all purpose-built to melt faces and give necks across the land a hefty workout. Schritt’s co-shredder, Faith Alexis Danger (lead guitarist and vocalist of the excellent Canadian Heavy Metal act LunAttack – also check them out), busts out some really fun, impressive solos to compliment the relentless riffing throughout the album. The woman’s got some serious chops.

Along with those burners is my personal favorite – the heavier, more plodding “Pieces” which definitely does a nice job of changing the pace midway through the EP and features an excellent bridge/solo that stand out as real highlights. The band also throw in a cover of Sepultura’s classic “Antichrist” (Bestial Devastation), complete with vocalist Kyle Scott getting a little lower and doing a pretty good young Cavalera impression. It’s really sweet hearing the song given new life and brought back for the headbanging public to enjoy all over again.

There’s a lot to REALLY like about this debut from Video Nasty. It’s produced perfectly to match the lo-fi, gutter aesthetic of the B-Horror worship, without going so far as to render this a chore to listen to. The band does an excellent job picking fun and effective audio clips from different movies that only add to the overall fun of the album. And above all, the band delivers a solid-as-steel, tight-as-a-Mormon’s-Asshole performance that I know I’ll be coming back to quite a bit. It’s the best of both worlds – it’s campy and fun, but actually really compelling and well-made, like if Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell got together to do a Slumber Party Massacre reboot. Can that be a thing? Somebody get Raimi on the phone for me…

[Visit the band's website]

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