Review: “Lizard Brain Directives” by Doubting Thompson

What is Thrash without meaning? Creating a play on words that starts with the phrase “Doubting Thomas“, meaning “a person who is sceptical and refuses to believe something without evidence” before replacing Thomas with his surname Thompson, multi instrumentalist Jeff Thompson (vocals, bass, guitars, drums) is on a one man mission for the truth. His fifth record under the name Doubting Thompson doubles as his second with Sliptrick Records in an eight year career influenced by late 80’s and early 90’s Old School Thrash acts like Testament, Exodus and of course Slayer. The record is titled “Lizard Brain Directives” and finds him once more putting the world to rights, one controversy at a time…

It has been three years since the last recorded confession of Doubting Thompson in “Revelations” and what’s immediately noticeable is the improved production value of “Lizard Brain Directives“. It’s clearly something the Wisconsin based Metal master has been working on and it only serves to give these tracks more bark and bite. The first shotgun blast in anger is titled “My Lai Massacre” and finds Thompson detailing a laundry list of war crimes committed by the US Miliary in South East Asia in 1968. Naturally the scathing lyrical narrative is soaked in classic Death Thrash riffs served with face-melter of a solo. As ever with this kind of offering the drum machine is a necessary evil but few flat cymbal hits aren’t going to take away from the moshing sensibilities. A commentary on the human exploitation involved in the Diamond industry “Blood Diamond” hits hard and fast, Thompson delivering the kind of Speed Thrash riffage that Jeff Waters of Annihilator would be proud of. The mixing has been done really well with the bass line more prominent to give this one a little more rhythmic power.

Changing gear, the Iron Maiden inspired instrumental “Lead The Charge” is nothing short of majestic, Thompson stepping away from the microphone to concentrate on delivering some truly mesmerising lead guitar work framed in Progressive Traditional Heavy Metal. It’s one that will have you swaying like a marionette to the symphony of destruction as if trapped in a hypnotic trance, such is the quality of the film score like soundscape. A tale of one of America’s most infamous serial killers in “Terrible Ted” gives us a final fix of Old School Thrash in adrenaline pumping style as if straight out of “Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?” from Megadeth. What’s impressive about all these cuts is that Thompson speaks his mind in unfiltered fashion, pulling no punches in the process, the lyrical venom giving you something to think about once the blistering riffs have faded away [7/10]

Track Listing

1. My Lai Massacre
2. Blood Diamond
3. Lead The Charge (Instrumental)
4. Terrible Ted

“Lizard Brain Directives” by Doubting Thompson is out 12th November 2024 via Sliptrick Records