The band is called Kaos, the album is called "The Pits of EXiStence", the album cover is an image of an angel statue pumping his fist in a stone sculpture mosh pit, with song titles like 'Enter Insanity', 'Bleed Some More', 'Pits of Existence', 'Let God Sort Them Out', 'Blood Sacrifice', Screaming in the Mirror', and 'Tear Us Apart'. So now you know exactly what to expect.

While listening to this, I'm transported to 1988, crammed into a Camaro with a bunch of other dudes in denim and black t-shirts, headed to hang out at a Dunkin Donuts. This album would have been a perfect next choice for when the Slayer or Testament tape in the deck came to an end.

Kaos draws repeatedly and exclusively from one narrow late 80s thrash source, with nary a wink or a puff of cigarette smoke at songwriting or production methods or trends of the following two decades. This is pure old school Bay Area thrash metal; Kaos check all other influences at the door. The riffs, solos, distortion, vocals, backing vocals - - every damn thing about this album - - sounds derivative of the ghosts of thrash past, rather than present or future.

But you know what? A detour through dated-sounding material is not always a bad thing. While most metal acts mired in the past sound, well, mired. . . Kaos makes it work. Kaos consistently make canny, correct song composition decisions. The riffs are right, the tempo changes are right, the heaviness gradient shifts are all correct. Sure, "Kill em all, Let God Sort Them Out" might be a moronic refrain, but goddamn if it doesn't set your teeth on edge - - in the right way. Follow that up with a moshing rhythm guitar part infectious enough to twist Scott Ian's goatee, and you've got a winner. The first three tracks plus 'Tear Us Apart' are probably the most effective, but the surprising successes continue throughout, even for the predictable arpeggiated stuff near the end.

Turn off your brain and enjoy.