Hazzerd – The 3rd Dimension Review
By Dr. A.N. Grier
Let’s get this fucking year started with some THHHHRRRRRAAAAASSSSSHHHHHH. First up is the third release from the Canadian quartet, Hazzerd. An up-and-coming outfit, Hazzerd plays the traditional, Bay-area thrash that continues to be a thing. But, their first record, Misleading Evil, was a tasty morsel that had me rooting for these neo-thrash Canucks. Then, 2020 arrived with Covid and Hazzerd’s sophomore release, Delirium. It’s not a bad record, but as the band continues to flex their songwriting and technical skills, Delirium was too much of everything. Be it the fifty-minute runtime, the exaggerated drum fills, or the focus on solo placement instead of song structure. What it did reveal was these boys can shred, and their desire to create interesting leads and harmonizing guitar work can work with the proper structure. Four years later, The 3rd Dimension sets out to prove the band can pull it off. The only question is, can they?
Since the debut, Hazzerd’s core three remain: vocalist/drummer, lead guitarist, and bassist. With an additional guitarist in the studio, this foursome hopes they’ve found that perfect guitar duo to achieve their goals. And The 3rd Dimension will put that to the test. Though the vocals are similar to Death Angel’s Mark Osegueda, you’ll also find some new vocal variations. Not only that, but the dueling guitar work stretches their skills and, at times, even removes them from the thrash genre. As with all young bands, there’s a point when a band must push against their walls of comfort to create something unique and beautiful. Compared to the entire thrash scene, I’m not sure they have (or could) fully achieve that. But, in comparison to their previous efforts, The 3rd Dimension is the band’s most ambitious record yet.
“Interdimension” might be the band’s best opener to date, driving the thrashtastic mood, permeating throughout the rest of the disc. After a fun trashy intro, the opener shifts into gear when the vocals arrive. After the midpoint, the back half is reignited, delivering a sinister, Slayer-esque chug. With the mood set, we roll into the impressive and interesting back-to-back numbers, “Scars” and “Unto Ashes.” The first is basically a clinic on scales, injecting melodic elements up the fretboard. Then, we’re cruising, dragging along the emotion as we approach the chorus. Once we arrive, the vocals deliver higher-range sustains that are odd and distracting as fuck, but work on repeat listens. The most surprising element of the song is the guitars. Playing off each other, the guitars swirl around with varying leads, harmonization, and fitting solos. They are so intricate that they are almost Neoclassical. “Unto Ashes” also borrows these fine elements from its predecessor, stoking the fire with gang shouts and one of the slickest rebuilds on the record.
Other killer tracks are so opposite in approach that I couldn’t help but analyze them together. Hazzerd continues to include absolutely absurd lyrics and, like so many thrash bands before them, instrumentals. The short but sweet “ThArSh TiLl DeTh” brings to mind the unrelenting attacks of moshpit classics like Exodus’ “Bonded by Blood” and Testament’s “Into the Pit.” For those who have opinions that do not align with someone else’s,1 this song is a direct attack on all you posers. It’s a fun ditty that is so comical and bludgeoning that I suspect it’ll be the band’s quintessential pit go-to. “A Fell Omen” is a nine-minute instrumental beauty that is a clear nod to the days of yore when a thrash instrumental could be a memorable track on the album.2 This track has it all: acoustic guitars, emotional builds, dueling guitar solos, technical prowess, and a closing riff that will give you neck pain.
The skill of The 3rd Dimension alone is superior to anything Hazzerd has released before. While Delirium displayed many of the traits appearing in this new record, the greatest achievement was pulling it all together and restraining it just enough to let the album shine. Though some of the vocal risks are odd to me (as mentioned in “Scars”), it’s a good first step in this new direction. I also wish “A Fell Omen” closed the album instead of the unforgettable “Control.” It would have made for a stronger conclusion to a tight album. David Sprague’s stellar bass work isn’t as prominent as Delirium, but that could be corrected with a more dynamic master—and would also support the layered guitar work. Much like how I’d wished Spirit Adrift’s Curse of Conception was more dynamic for these reasons, The 3rd Dimension has the potential to be more impactful. That said, 2025 finds Hazzerd in a great place.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 192 kb/s mp3
Label: M-Theory Audio
Websites: hazzerdthrash.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/hazzerdthrash
Releases Worldwide: January 17th, 2025
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