With the title “Art of Partying” we can only hope that Municipal Waste brings the party like Andrew W.K. did with “I Get Wet”.
Like any good party you must always start with a pre game and Municipal Waste does just that with setting the tone of the entire album with it’s first track “Pre Game”. Pre Game is a solid, but short, track that summarizes the album with a 40 second instrumental, injecting the listener with intensity much like a few quick shots of whiskey to get the night started off right.
Just like the first track, this album brings the thrash! “But why should I care, there are many sub par thrash albums to chose from” you say? Here’s why: The Art of Partying never runs a good riff dry and excels at changing tempo when you least expect it, keeping you grooving while the party continues. Art of Partying also does some of the best work I’ve heard at combining punk, hardcore, and metal without leaning too heavily in one specific genre.
My favorite track on the album, “Chemically Altered”, does an incredible job at taking you from punk to metal, to hardcore, and back again. What starts out as a floozy punk track turns out to have many musical layers that you won’t see coming much like the girl “that gets around” at the party, who you ended up having 3 kids with, and are now asking “how did I get here?” ten years later.
The only downside I see to the album, though not really a downside, is at many times the vocals can sound identical to Tom Araya or Mike Muir leaving you reminiscing of old Slayer and Suicidal Tendencies’ tracks. But most of the time vocalist Tony Foresta switches things up with group chants and amusing lines that keep you engaged to with the vocals which could otherwise be hard with such solid musicianship from the band.
At the end of the night The Art of Partying is sure to be one of your favorite thrash companions leaving you wasted and passed out before you can chant along with the final track’s “MUNICIPAL WASTE IS GOING TO FUCK YOU UP!” 4 out of 5 hearts.
