Slime and Punishment is the sixth studio album by American crossover thrash band Municipal Waste, released on June 23, 2017. It the first album to feature guitarist Nick Poulos.
Overview Slim and Punishment was Municipal Wastes first album in five years marking their longest gab in between album releases. In an interview lead singer Tony Foresta explained the extended break between albums: "We just had so many records out already and we have a lot of songs on those records because we don't write really long songs so we just kind of felt like the world wasn't ready yet for a sixth Municipal Waste album. So we had to let it rest for a few years and kind of do our own projects and hang out at home and just be ourselves for a while. And it finally just felt like the right time to do a new record — and I think people wanted it."
It is the bands first album to feature two guitarists with Nick Poulos who joined the band in 2015. Foresta stated that having an additional guitarist help them achieve a more "metal punk sound."
The albums artwork was created by the bands friend, Andrei Bouzikov. This was the fourth album cover done for the band he had previously created the artwork for Massive Aggressive, The Art Of Partying, and their split Ep with Toxic Holocaust – Toxic Waste.
Slime And Punishment was engineered by the bands bassist Phil "Landphil" Hall at Blaze of Torment Studios in Richmond, Virginia. It was mixed and mastering by Bill Metoyer in Hollywood, California.
On April 28, 2017, Municipal Waste announced the album's release date and released the album's first single "Amateur Sketch." The albums title track was released as the second and final single on May 26. Municipal Waste took part in the 2017 Warped tour in support of the album.
Critical reception The album was met with positive reception Metal Injection wrote "Municipal Waste have mastered the formulas of traditional thrash metal and then inject it with a healthy dose of their own audacity. The big hardcore choruses, angular riffs and tight song lengths mean that Slime And Punishment remains vital for its refreshingly brief 28 minute run time." Metal Hammer wrote that it was "Waste’s strongest album since The Art Of Partying and it’s every bit as demented, uplifting and timeless as fans will be expecting." Loudwire stated "Municipal Waste have never released a studio album longer than 40 minutes long, with Slime and Punishment clocking in at a quick 29 minutes and the longest song (“Death Proof”) still under three minutes.. It flies by in a blur of shredding, shout-along choruses and memorable moments."
Maximus of Metal Sucks added "Slime and Punishment is a concept album about having fun in a society that only revels in branded, corporate-friendly frivolity. Municipal Waste are the ultimate expression of not giving a fuck about anything other than not giving a fuck. They're not the band we deserve; they're the band we need." German reviewer Metal.de also gave the album praise writing " it sounds fresh and pissed off—exactly what fans have come to expect from the band." Joe Smith of Exclaim! noted "Slime And Punishment isn't a groundbreaking record, but it's a welcome addition to an already impressive catalogue that demonstrates why the band are still leading their genre, despite a five-year album gap."
Loudwire listed the album at number 23 on their year end list of the 25 best metal albums of 2017.
Track listing
Personnel Municipal Waste Tony Foresta – lead vocals Nick Poulos – lead guitar Ryan Waste – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Phil Hall – bass, backing vocals Dave Witte – drums
Guest vocalists Vinnie Stigma (on "Parole Violators")
Production Produced by Municipal Waste Mixed and mastered by Bill Metoyer Artwork by Andrei Bouzikov
Charts Chart (2017)Peak positionBelgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)117Canada Hard Music Albums (Billboard)75Canada Top Current Albums (Billboard)180UK Independent Albums (OCC)29UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)17UK Independent Album Breakers (OCC)6US Top Album Sales (Billboard)52US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)5US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)3US Independent Albums (Billboard)9US Indie Store Album Sales (Billboard)8US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)12
References
External links Official website