Xentrix
Shattered Existence [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]
Label: MVD Audio

Xentrix didn’t really break any new ground with their 1989 release Shattered Existence, but they provide some solid metal in the vein of Megadeth and Testament. Like Atrophy, Xentrix features a gruff vocalist, Chris Astley, who barks out fragmentary observations on modern society (circa 1989), but there’s nothing really compelling here. Astley and lead guitarist Kristian Havard bust out some fairly melodic solos, but the songs themselves all tend to sound the same.

Xentrix hails from the U.K. and recently reunited for a few dates in their home country. The remastered editions sound tight and punchy, but the liner notes suffer from typo major problems. Xentrix’ first release is a solid but unremarkable effort. The band mostly churns on the same few chords, shows off their prowess and manages to sound a bit bored with the proceedings. The exception is the wacky metallic cover of Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” from the EP of the same name, but overall the album does not measure up.

-review by resident metalhead Tim O’Regan, whose band Darkfold plays Station 4 this Friday, Nov. 16