Album Review: Municipal Waste – Slime and Punishment

Municipal Waste – Slime and Punishment
Release Date: June 23, 2017

After five years flying below the radar, punk/thrash kings Municipal Waste have returned to the game with Slime and Punishment.  Kicking things off with “Breathe Grease”, right away I am reminded just Municipal Waste are the reigning kings of punk/thrash crossover.  At 0:49, “Enjoy the Night” starts and finishes faster than 16 year old dude getting it in for the first time, and “Parole Violators” had me feeling like this was kind of a nod to X-Cops.  If it wasn’t intentionally that, I love the fact that it was an unplanned parallel.

The stand out track on Slime and Punishment is “Low Tolerance.”  I love the groove on this song and new addition of 2nd guitarist Nick Poulos brings this sweet twin guitar attack along with founding guitarist Ryan Waste.  The instrumental “Under the Waste Command” is a great showcase of this new (to Municipal Waste) guitar team.  Having two guitars in the band new really has broadened the band’s dynamic and has taken the Waste to a whole new level.  So much so that I can’t fucking wait to hear what some of the band’s older material will sound live with this new dynamic.

Slime and Punishment is fast, fun, hilarious, but not stupid.  It’s the perfect metal album to escape to when things just seem to get too grim and serious.  Listening to Slime and Punishment for me was like hearing from an old friend that I haven’t heard from in a while only to be reminded just why I love them so fucking much.  Here’s the deal.  I like my metal like I like my women: tight, heavy, and fast so if this is the case, Slime and Punishment is my ideal woman.  Ok, that sounds kind of creepy but something tells me that Municipal Waste would be oh so proud of this description.

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