Origin:	San Francisco, California, USA
Genres:	Thrash Metal

Last update/review:	January 3, 2006

Warning SF

The band known as Warning formed in 1982 and was a staple of the flourishing Bay Area pre-thrash scene for several years, but by 1986 they were done, with only a three-track demo to their credit. Yet in the intervening years interest in the band never waned, and so in 2000 original members Jon Torres (who has played with a number of bands over the years since the initial breakup) and Brian Poole decided to put a new version of the band together, and re-record several of their old songs. Now known as Warning S.F., the band finally released Aftermath in 2002, featuring 7 newly recorded songs with the three '85 demo tracks tacked on to the end. Aftermath succeeds, as while the songs were written back in the eighties and clearly sound of that era, the recording is more modern, with Torre Carstensen's more melodic voice lending the tunes a touch of class. So it's thrash metal, but beefed up with power and traditional metal influences, giving the band a reasonably unique sound. On the other hand, the three demo tracks are clearly signs of the times, as they could easily have appeared on Metallica's Kill 'Em All or Exodus's Bonded By Blood (particularly the latter, as that vocalist sounds a bit like Paul Baloff). They don't quite mix with the new material, though they are decent enough in their own right and certainly will appeal to fans of the early days of thrash. Overall, Aftermath is a satisfying, long-overdue album from a band who may now get some well-deserved recognition.