Description
Demolition Hammer – Time Bomb – Compact Disc
Relativity/Century Media Records
Demolition Hammer’s Time Bomb, released on August 23, 1994, via Century Media Records, represents a significant stylistic shift for the New York-based metal band. Departing from the aggressive thrash and death metal fusion of their earlier works, this third studio album delves into a groove metal sound, characterized by slower tempos and a heavier emphasis on rhythmic grooves.
The album’s lineup features Steve Reynolds on bass and vocals, Derek Sykes on guitar, and Alex Marquez on drums—the latter making his sole appearance with the band on this record. Notably, Time Bomb is the only Demolition Hammer album without guitarist James Reilly and drummer Vinny Daze, who departed to form Deviate NY.
The tracklist includes:
‘Intro’ – 0:16
‘Under the Table’ – 3:23
‘Power Struggle’ – 5:00
‘Mindrot’ – 3:16
‘Bread and Water’ – 3:42
‘Missing: 5/7/89’ – 3:51
‘Waste’ – 3:36
‘Unidentified’ – 3:48
‘Blowtorch’ – 3:43
‘Mongoloid’ (Devo cover) – 3:36
‘Time Bomb’ – 3:15
The album opens with a brief intro sampling dialogue from the 1981 film Prince of the City, setting a gritty tone. ‘Under the Table’ incorporates samples from films like Serpico (1973) and Scarface (1983), adding a cinematic layer to the music.
Time Bomb received mixed reactions. Some fans appreciated the band’s exploration of groove metal, while others lamented the departure from their signature thrash intensity. The album’s divergence from previous styles was partly due to label pressures, as Century Media insisted on releasing it under the Demolition Hammer name despite its different musical direction.
