On June 11, 2007, Richmond, Virginia crossover thrash band MUNICIPAL WASTE released their third studio album The Art of Partying through Earache Records. The album proved a definitive statement for the new-wave-of-American-thrash-metal movement that was revitalizing the genre in the mid-2000s, blending the breakneck aggression of classic SLAYER and EXODUS with the chaotic energy of hardcore punk. Clocking in at under thirty minutes across sixteen tracks, the record is relentless, precise, and delivered with an infectious sense of humor. Songs like "Thrash and Burn," "The Art of Partying," and "Headbanger Face Rip" became anthems for a generation rediscovering crossover thrash. The album confirmed MUNICIPAL WASTE as the premier standard-bearers for the genre's 21st-century resurgence.
