Arsey thing to say, but Vitamin X always seemed to be one of those adequate bands that hovered around without arousing much feeling one way or the other. Playing a gig? They’re your excuse to go to the bar and catch up with a pal you’ve not seen in a while. Record in the used bin? Pick it up, but only if it’s under a quid. Need to make that international postage feel worthwhile? Add in one of their 7″s, but only because there’s nothing else of note available. They were that kind of band: thrashy straightedge that tore along but didn’t much stick to your ribs or stick in your mind.
Considering that mediocre build-up, no one’s more surprised than me that this is actually quite the ripper. ‘Age Of Paranoia’, see, is frothing over with energy, manic chops and a feral sense of rock n’ roll that tears wildly through the ragged hardcore with nary a backward glance. The likes of BL’AST! and Annihilation Time seem far better reference points than early 00s thrashers like DS13 or Tear It Up, and the sheer calibre of their haywire, Motörcharged punk certainly justifies heavyweight guest spots from J. Mascis and Bubba Dupree. It’s objectively great, and, for me, a rather brilliant surprise considering the short shrift I’ve dealt them over the past however many years.