Review by JD on December 5, 2012.

The snow and wind swept crags of Colorado hold beauty and majesty of nature in the wonders that are the mountains and it appears that Colorado also hold in its beauty some truly nasty metal. Thrash attackers Havok come from this amazing wonderland to pummel all of the fake metallers into the dust at their feet.

With a no nonsense sound and a bellyful of adrenaline fuelled attitude, this American foursome executed some of the best Thrash in the New Wave Of Thrash Metal. Old school riffing that comes with a new and dynamic twist to it is exactly what Havok offers up. The music is brutal and uncompromising, flowing from Bay Area predecessors, but it seems that it has been amped up a hundred fold... and then exploded out on to a awaiting world.

I have heard Havok’s "Time Is Up" last year, and it was amazing... this four song EP seems to be a good step... even though it happens to be a EP. The two original tracks are as nasty as ever, and seems to be melding Thrash with some Speed Metal as well. The results come across like if older Testament had way too many Red Bulls with their amphetamines. In other words, fucking brutal as hell with melodies that rip you a new one. The two covers offered here (Sepultura’s 'Arise' and Slayer’s 'Post Mortem/Reign In Blood') are classics that are done tastefully yet boldly thrashed out in their own brand of metallic insanity.

If you need to hear what the best of the new crop of Thrash sounds like, get this short album, and all of the back catalogue as well. I have to say that I think Havok would have been better off doing Sepultura’s 'Inner Self' for a cover, but 'Arise' was still good. I hate EP’s, but gotta say that this was pretty good. But I want a new fuckin’ album!!!

Nuff said my metal bros and sisters, now for a beer.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8.5
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on October 4, 2020.

I remember that Menhir's debut delivered a pretty solid dose of black metal, but Buchonia is completely different. Only the Def Leppard discography after “Pyromania” is less metallic than this EP. Menhir showcase their pagan side and that’s not forbidden, but why do they do it in such a calm and lame way? Why are the clean male vocals accompanied by a female voice that lends 'Germanenkunst' such a kitschy touch? Not to mention the all-knowing narrator in the fourth track, was this really necessary? Why did they forget to use their electric guitars in an adequate manner during the recordings? So many questions and I have no answer.

But maybe I should be more open-minded. Let’s try to accept the concept of this EP, especially with regard to the fact that this format can always be the field for experiments and songs that would kill the flow of a regular work. The instrumental title track could be an acceptable outro on an ambient black metal album, but at the end of the day, it’s just a melodic piece I don’t want to listen to again in view of the fact that my shelves are filled to the brim with better music. And in view of the general approach of the band on this EP, it makes no difference that the melody of 'Sonnenwende' has charm, at least to a certain degree.

The production is well done for this kind of music. Expressed less politely, it is as defensive as the music itself. The lyrics are a feast for German patriots with an affinity for embarrassing pathos and lofty words. National-romantic hearts will come into bloom, I am sure. I also like my country, but I guess I do it in another way. However, if you like acoustic guitars, Jew’s harp and violin, you will potentially be happy to listen to Buchonia. All narrow-minded metalheads like me should not waste their time. Buchonia is an ambitious work, but it fails, because the artists were not able to express their emotions in an exciting manner.

Rating: 2.7 out of 10