Shark Attack [Import]

Wehrmacht | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 3, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Indie Europe/Zoom
• ASIN: B0016IM4Y0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #349,767 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Shark Attack

2. Blow You Away

3. S.O.P.

4. Jabberjaw

5. Barrage of Skankers

6. United Shoebrothers

7. Part II....

8. Go Home

9. Anti

10. Napalm Shower

11. Crazy Ways People Die

12. Fretboard Gymnastics

13. Termination

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Groundbreaking, November 26, 2004

By 

B. Fanciulli (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shark Attack (Audio CD)

This is the first of two albums released by Portland, Oregon's terribly under-appreciated Wehrmacht. While not as well produced as the follow-up, Shark Attack is more consistantly fast and the guitar work is more technical. Think early Megadeth with ultra-fast drumming and Kreator solos.

Wehrmacht was arguably the first band to be coined speed-core for this extremely fast metallic hardcore. Though their speedy crossover sound, technical guitar work, and campy lyrics were predated by the likes of S.O.D., Wehrmacht is definitely deserving of the speed-core badge. Napalm Death and other grindcore heavyweights consider them major influences.

The vocalist and guitarist went on to front the funky progressive grind band Spazztic Blurr. Drummer Brian Lehfeldt joined Cryptic Slaughter then the much more tame Sweaty Nipples.

This 2000 rerelease of the 1986 classic has been recorded from vinyl, so there is a slight hiss heard through the album and occasional popping. Still, it's far better than the old cassette! If Amazon doesn't have it in stock, check New Renaissance's website.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Six hundred and sixty six freakin' thumbs up, February 7, 2002

By 

"idvego" (Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shark Attack (Audio CD)

This LP was originally released in 1987 and is quite possibly the greatest thrash/speed record ever recorded. Though often mischaracterized as grindcore pioneers, Wehrmacht belts out 12 classic thrash tunes to the speed and intensity of a Terrorizer or Repulsion rhythm section. Labeled (appropriately stickered on the original LP, in fact) by New Renaissance to be "the fastest heavy metal band today," "Shark Attack" is actually not all that fast in the period's context. It is definitely no faster than Terrorizer or Napalm Death, possibly equivalent to the speed of Repulsion's old demos. The difference, though, is that this is not a grind record, it is pure thrash. (Think Megadeth's "Killing is my Business..." with the drums on 78 RPM!) The editorial review here also cites them as successfully mixing punk and metal, another common notion that is seen more clearly in hardcore/thrash crossover bands like Cryptic Slaughter, DRI, Siege and Septic Death. On "Shark Attack," Wehrmacht is definitely more metal than anything else. They did end up partnering up with Cryptic Slaughter, (who drummer Brian Lehfeldt joined for the Speak Your Peace record) and that may be where the confusion comes from, but if you can't hear the difference between a band playing really fast punk riffs and really fast metal riffs, you shouldn't even bother with this record. The second album, "Biermacht," is more highly produced and shows a little more hardcore influence on it, but the line is still fine.
Wehrmacht is definitely comparable to Cryptic Slaughter, Siege or a really fast Megadeth, but I personally think they surpass them all. The production on this record is similar to all of those bands, too; reverbed drums, heavily distorted guitars and basses, high-pitched, reverbed screams. The sound actually reminds me a lot of "Killing Is My Business..." but cleaner and more distinct, maybe what Megadeth had in mind when they produced the debackle. I don't know what else to tell you but buy this record, you'll love it. I won't mention what drummer Brian Lehfeldt is doing now because it's shameful--but if you're curious, look up the members of the band Everclear.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fast as a Shark but Really Not that Lethal, June 7, 2010

By 

Oliverio Casas "Heavy Metal Fan from Northern... (Montevideo, Uruguay) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shark Attack (Audio CD)

Back in 1987, with the thrash metal juggernaut rolling on full force and death metal still a good three or four years away, speed was still the ultimate measuring stick for a metal band's extremity and subsequent credibility among serious headbangers. In this context, Wehrmacht's main claim to fame was being considered the fastest heavy metal band in the underground, and I don't see any point in disputing that: the songs are indeed extremely fast, easily equaling and sometimes surpassing the tempos of its era's speediest bands like Anthrax, Slayer, Kreator and Dark Angel. Due to it's gory, cartoony lyrics and sense of humour, the band was routinely lumped with crossover bands like D.R.I., S.O.D., Nuclear Assault and Cryptic Slaughter, a label I'm not that comfortable with since its riffing and soloing is much more thrash than hardcore based.
The music in itself is essentially very fast thrash metal augmented by Brian Lehfeldt's frantic drumming, and that's the main problem: good thrash always came from the effective coupling of both speed and grove, and since the latter is almost inexistent the songs start to sound samey really fast. The low budget production makes the music sound excessively blurry, so the good riffs and leads (and believe me, this record has its good share of both) are hard to appreciate, since the guitars tend to get buried by overbearing, blasting drums and the bass is almost inaudible.
In conclusion, this is pretty solid and enjoyable (albeit somewhat limited) 80s thrash metal album that is ultimately ruined by poor production, so I'd recomend it only to said style's serious fans.