Band:	C.I.A.
Album:	Attitude
Style:	Heavy metal, Crossover thrash metal
Release date:	1992
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. C.I.A.
02. Attitude
03. Time
04. Hammer Of The Gods
05. Insecurity
06. Status Quo
07. Suicide
08. Flattery
09. No Shame

Several members of the Nuclear Assault team were deployed on a new mission, commissioned under the name "C.I.A.". Surprised? No, not the USA's intelligence agency, it's C.I.A., which was formed by Glenn Evans (taking the reigns vocally and instrumentally, and proving that he was more than just a drum kit basher) along with John Connelly on bass. Evans bought in talented virtuoso axeman Dave DiPietro from the heavy metallers TT Quick, and with this six-stringer on board, the the band's situation improved severalfold, resulting in Attitude, an effort that unfurls cool retro power/thrash comparable to Megadeth’s Countdown To Extinction.

This is a more consistent opus than the debut album In The Red, with no big shifts from one style to another. Attitude, released in 1987, is as much an invitation to anarchy as it is a snapshot of a fleeting era — a sonic blowout delivered with endurance.

The title track "Attitude" explodes with riffs that hit like shrapnel, embodying the core of classic crossover. Too reckless for the refined metal purists yet too structured for the hardcore punk faithful, "Time" marches in with a menacing riff that slithers through organized chaos— not without thought — more a strategic ambush than a mindless riot. Di Pietro in his stride shoots short but very stylish leads reminiscent of what would later emerge during the nu metal trend on the proto-groovy jumper "Suicide". The album’s backbone is built on steady, mid-tempo stomps like the relentless title track and the pulverizing "Hammer Of The Gods," while "Time" adds a quirky funk twist, providing the obligatory unorthodox stroke.

But what sets Attitude apart is the tension between hardcore and thrash metal. It's a tug-of-war, with the band constantly teetering between two worlds, as manifested in songs like "Insecurity" and "Status Quo", encapsulating this dynamic perfectly. Evans doesn’t betray his composed semi-clean antics behind the mic, the man proving himself a versatile musician, able to handle multiple styles on several fronts without getting lost. The end result is far more cohesive and homogenous than Nuclear Assault's Out Of Order, streamlined and focused without too much highbrow evincing ambition.

In a landscape dominated by the larger-than-life acts of the late '80s, Attitude remains criminally underrated. It’s not an album designed to win over mainstream audiences, nor is it one that demands immediate critical recognition. It’s a battle cry, a call to arms, and a reminder that attitude — real, unfiltered, and unapologetic — is what keeps the spirit of thrash alive. While it may not have ascended to the pantheon of thrash metal’s greatest, it certainly stands as a testament to the genre’s defiant heart, beating wildly just beneath the surface.