Death Side’s first LP from 1989. Came out the same year as the legendary Game of Death comp, on which they also appeared. If this record had come out in the same year and about 4800 miles to the east, it could have been a Poison Idea record. Like so many other classic records, Wasted Dream thrives on mashing together Motörhead influence with breakneck punk rock pacing and impressive guitar licks. While the epic guitar work of later Death Side is replaced by a more frantic pace, it’s no less impressive. There’s no slowing down from start to end of this album, and it sounds and fits the mold as a more-or-less straight forward hardcore / crossover record. Side A opens up with Death Side that has a cool Outburst-esque intro feel to it and later includes the crowd favorites “Laugh Til You Die” and the fist-pumping thrasher “I Live Just My Life.” Signs of greatness to come show through with “Wall” and “Nothing for Other’s Pride.” Side B opens with the stand out with three straight bangers - title track, “Evil Dreaming” and “Devil In The Hell” - each of which again indicates some of the more creative elements of this band we’ll see on their next LP - and things finally slow down as we get to the weird and plodding “The Lowest”, dispensing with the breakneck speed and replaces it with a two-step throughout. A nice change of pace.
A solid album but not their best. 18 tracks it means you get your money’s worth, but frankly, I think it could be cut to 12 tracks as the flashes get deluded by sheer volume of songs and a bit of monotony. This is a high-quality 2015 reissue on Feral Ward that retains the original typo on the rear cover (“Special Tahnx To”) and a nice lyric insert.