Longer than any other E.P. I can recall, "Rise Of The Infidels" is billed as the final release from S.O.D, the one-time side project that pioneered the merger of hardcore and thrash metal. In similar fashion to earlier releases, it's soon clear they've got something to rant about once more and the balls to actually do it.

"Stand Up And Fight" is blunt and brutal call to arms challenging an America they claim "has turned away from being a country full of men of conviction and principle to being a land of spineless victims and fem-bots" and pulls few punches. "Java Amigo" captures a bit of the humour that has always underscored this band though with a boogie-thrash attack on the Starbucks culture. Add in a couple of studio cuts of previously covered live material in the shape of AGNOSTIC FRONT's "United And Strong" and "Ready To Fight" from NEGATIVE APPROACH and your suitably prepared for the kick in the groin of the bonus material, a full twenty track live show from Seattle that opens in confrontational mode with "The Ballad Of Nirvana" in the grunge-rockers' hometown and peaks with classic S.O.D. material like the legendary "Speak English Or Die", "Pussywhipped" and the subtle "Fuck The Middle East". "No Turning Back" stood out as well.

Sounding more of an excellent soundboard recording than a full mobile studio effort actually works to this bands credit and the show only really drops in intensity with the mid-show inclusion of no less than six of their famous "Ballads...". Like repeated viewing of a comedy performance the impact is lost a little once you know the punchline and somehow they don't seem as controversial as they once did either, but then that's perhaps more an indictment on today's world. However I guess to not play them is akin to DEEP PURPLE not wheeling out "Smoke On The Water" and they are certainly well received.

- Leslie

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