Artist: XENTRIX
Album: FOR WHOSE ADVANTAGE? REISSUE (DIGI)

Release date: 1990/ 2022
EAN/UPS: 5013929020467
Media type: CD

Signed to Roadrunner Records in January 1989, the following 12 months proved very eventful for Leyland-based Speed Metal band Xentrix. Prior to the release of the band’s debiut album, “Shattered Existence”, in September the band shook a few heads with some very well-received live shows supporting the likes of Acid reign and Onslaught. Xentix’s debut show at London’s Marquee supporting Slammer swiftly followed the album’s release (debuting at #1 in the Indie Metal Chart) succeeded by a full U.K. tour with Nottingham’s Sabbat.

By now the Leyland lads were really ripping it up live with choice cuts from the album, such as “Crimes” and “Balance Of Power”, eliciting fevered responses. However, it was the band’s blinding cover of Ray Parker Junior’s “Ghostbusters” (George Michael’s “Faith” was their cover choice) that proved the surprise package in a live setting. The time seemed right to record it.

Immediately after the Sabbat dates the band slipped into the B.B.C.’s Maida Vale studios to record four tracks for Radio 1’s Friday Rock Show. The slimmest pop song ever was laid down along with “Nobody’s Perfect” (from their first demo), “Interrogate” (never recorded before and strangely left off the album) and “Dark Enemy” (from Shattered). When the session was first aired on January 19 th 1990, the response was so great that it was decided to remix 3 of the 4 songs for release as a 12inch single to coincide with the band’s debut U.K. in May.

Before that though, Xentrix were to experience a large stage for the first time at Hammersmith Odeon as 3 rd support act for Testament. Despite a very early start the band received vociferous support throughout their 40 minute set. Even the Testies themselves were heard throwing a bit of praise the band’s way.

However, they were soon brought back down to earth by the heavy hand of Columbia Pictures. Upset at the “defamation of their registered trademark” they slapped a band on the single’s sleeve artwork, featuring a ghost raising his middle finger. A new design was hastily put together while the band took to the road to test out new material for LP #2. The tour gave Xentrix the chance to enjoy the freedom of a lengthy set and diplay 3 to 4 new tracks per night to gauge their progression. The response was excellent, with “For Whose Advantage”, the intended title track, proving a mammoth piece of heavy-duty metal.

By the end of May, the single was out and selling like hot cakes earning the band some worthy exposure on The chart Show (it entered at #2 in their Rock Chart), R.A.W. Power and M.T.V.!

In June, with Hohn Cuniberi as a producer, using studios in Wales and London, Xentrix laid down 9 originals plus 1 cover (Gillan’s “Running White-Faced City Boy") to create “For Whose Advantage”. And what a difference! All the uncertainty and naivety from “Shattered Existence” has been blown away to deliver tracks like “Questions” (brooding and menacing), “Desperate Remedies” (slick veloci-speed), “Bitter End” (brutal techno kill) and the aforementioned title-track (this LP’s superior successor to “Crimes”). All this and more makes “For Whose Advantage” one of the most mature releases from a U.K thrash act. It’s to your advantage that you check Xentrix out.

TRACKLIST:

01 Questions
02 For Whose Advantage?
03 The Human Condition
04 False Ideals
05 The Bitter End
06 New Beginnings
07 Desperate Remedies
08 Kept in the Dark
09 Black Embrace
10 Running White Faced City Boy

Bonus tracks:
11 Pure Thought
12 Shadows Of Doubt
13 Balance of Power
14 Kept in the Dark
15 Crimes
16 Ghostbusters