by Ed Rivadavia
As suggested by its title, 1991's Out of Order is an innately dysfunctional album. Things may not seem so desperate at first listen, as the opener, &Sign in Blood& (recounting the band's unhappiness with their record company), and the comical &Preaching to the Deaf& (containing much mayhem and including a few screams from Anthrax's classic &I'm the Man&) have their moments. But from this point forward, Out of Order descends into utter oblivion, mostly delving in uninspired, by-the-numbers thrashing and revealing the irreversible communication breakdown already tearing through the group's ranks. Side two is especially a complete wash: most of the songs sound like they were thrown together at the last minute, and the band's misguided cover of Sweet's &Ballroom Blitz& only serves as a final insult. Avoid at all costs.