Band : Anger Management
Album title : Beyond the Threshold
Label : Three Piece Recordings
Distributor : Skratch The Surface (Promo Agency)
Release date : 28/02/2011
Release : EP-CD (5 tracks)

Okay now, let's not confuse this Anger Management for the Portland, Oregon act which was active from 1994 to 2004, leaving us a total of 5 releases (details unknown). Nay, thís Evesham, Midlands UK band was founded in February 2008 by former Medula Nocte and Murder One drummer Jamie “Jammer” Airns, the rest of the line-up consisting of co-founders Matt Cox (lead vocals, formerly of Next To Nothing), Shaun Jeffries (bass, also ex-Next To Nothing), Jon Minett (guitar, formerly of UK Hardcore act Underule) and the recently added Will Lavis (a true guitar shredder, of whom no extra info is given), whom replaced John Hunter (himself not a founding member) in Summer 2009.

With their past experiences in mind, it shouldn't be a surprise that AM has managed to play supports to a bunch of bands with already some importance in the music business, among which Skindred, Textures, Malefice, Romeo Must Die, 3 Inches Of Blood, Warbringer, Ted Maul, Pure Negative, Middenhelm, The Atrocity Exhibit...did a short Irish tour with Betrayed By Many...and put in appearances at 2008's Bloodstockand Slovakia's Motorockfest in 2010. In early 2010 the guys entered Wooton Basset's Studio 6, where they cut the 5 tracks on this debut EP with studio mainman Stu, and then released it first as a demo...which was hailed by the greats in UK Metal press (Metal Hammer, Terrorizer, etc...).

With one of those reviews (Ian Glasper in Terrorizer – I believe in giving credit where credit is due) describing AM's style almost perfectly, what easier way for me to start off from? Well, here's that citation: “...AM channel the psycho-grooves of prime-time Pantera via the intensity of Hardcore and the aggression of Death Metal...”...and now from some additional comments and amendments. In essence, AM's music is a Thrash Metal based Groove-laden Metal, with elements from Hardcore coming through in the constant high pace of the compositions, and partly in the vicious vocal stylings. Plural, you ask? Why yes, because where the lead singer for the most part uses a somewhat vomited Hardcore scream with Blackened leanings, he also gets ample backings from a more grunted, Death Metal styled singer (whom occasionally goes Phil Anselmo-style as well). And I very well wonder why that guys doesn't get credited for his additional role in the band.

A perfect example for the above mentioned vocal stylings can be heard in opening song “Lifelong Suicide”, regretfully also the only song posted at (www.) myspace.com/angermanagementmusic! If the EP is being sold through the usual online sales outlets (Amazon, iTunes, etc...), you may be able to find samples of the other 4 songs as well, but really if what you find on the band's MySpace pleases you, there should be no room for hesitation. Oh, by the way, AM an also be found on ReverbNation and facebook.

94/100

Tony.