Although we are dealing with a debut album here, we are hardly dealing with inexperienced musicians. On the contrary, Ballistic is driven by no one less than Tom Gattis (ex-Wardog); a man who has been in the metal scene since the late seventies, and it shows. Add to that drummer Rikard Stjernquist from Jag Panzer and you have a backbone that many metal band would envy.

One could wonder if Tom has grown soft over the years, like so many of his compatriots, but Ballistic quickly proves that to be nothing more than a disillusion. The band goes ballistic on you right from the very first second. An unrelentless assault that does not stop until the end of the album. No, Tom has grown far from soft. In fact his body seems to pump with unbridled energy and pent aggression that many younger bands could only dream of.

The opener “Collision Course” smashes into you like a proverbial sledgehammer. Fast and furious riffing intermingle seamlessly with melodic parts but not once does Ballistic release their iron grip of aggression on you. Tom spits and spats gall, like a thrash vocalist of old, filled with anger and without compassion for all that he hates.

Although he might technically not be the best vocalist around, his enormous will power and conviction make up for that. The lyrics are straight to the point and burst with pure, superfluous and unchained hatred, and are further proof that Gattis is not ready to give in just yet.

Ballistic is an album that is very hard to categorize as it mixes heavy metal, thrash and even speed metal into a mixture that sounds straight from the eighties. Although it is certainly nothing new, it’s this authentic touch that makes this a very successful album. Rarely, do you hear an album that screams conviction at you louder than even the harsh words of Tom. The whole album basks in an atmosphere of sincerity. Whether it is the heavy metal oriented “Call Me Evil”, the thrash metal “The Dissection/Into The Sever Chamber” or the speed metal “Gone Ballistic”, it sounds like a thrash album is supposed to sound; angry, aggressive and no-nonsense.

If you are as angry as Tom, I urge you to run to your local record store and get this album. Let Ballistic be the medium to channel your anger and GO BALLISTIC!