Arrival is a survival story, in many ways. After Acidosis broke up, Katzman took part in several other bands and even appeared on the 46th season of Survivor. Upon the band’s reunion, Katzman and Edsel enlist the talents of Harry Schwarz (drums), Jonathan Rusten (rhythm guitars) and Deo Budnevich (lead guitars) to create Arrival, a 9-song, 26-minute thrash invasion. Acidosis channel Municipal Waste without wasting time on long songs, preferring riff-packed crossovery bangers.
“Arrival” opens things with a wily devil, “They Live!” keeps the party moving with punk energy, and “Hostile Negotiations” slickly completes pull-offs and fast power chords with a delightful flourish. Later, Acidosis revive the classics, with riffs that recall the chromaticism of Megadeth (“Mankind”) and the stomp-age of Anthrax (“Deadly Fits”). I have no idea how much/little these songs have changed since Katzman and co. were in high school, but the riffs on Arrival have stood the test of time.
Ben Katzman ultimately provides the fuel that powers this Miami Thrash Machine. As a singer, he sounds like a less shouty, more melodic Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste). Katzman knows how to implant a title-worthy phrase into the listener’s head (“Hostile Negotiations,” “Mankind”) and when to drop some anthemic “whoa” into the mix (“They Live!”). As a bassist, he’s just as integral to giving Acidosis their unique charm. Whether (re)loading songs with a bass break (“They Live!”, “Where I Stand”) or cutting a low-frequency solo (“Hostile Negotiations”), Katzman delivers on all four strings, with a tone that’s just the right amount of distorted and clanky. Arrival is clearly Katzman’s passion, and his passion shines everywhere.
Unfortunately, no album with roots in Vice City would get by without sin. While I appreciate the spirit of concise songwriting here, some tracks definitely need more flesh and bone. “Hostile Negotiations” is a strong track that would benefit from a bridge section, and the album-closing “Where I Stand” kicks off with a country western touch that hints at an unfulfilled field of action. The transition from leisurely songwriting to the gluttonous art of the album: the interludes are completely superfluous. Arrival hasn’t lasted ten minutes before the “Interlude” interrupts the thrash action, and “Interlude 2” intervenes after just two more tracks totaling less than nine minutes. These interludes, though brief, disrupt the energetic pace, elongating an album whose main virtue is its brevity. Arrival also suffers from inconsistent solos. Edsel and Budnevich trade many of these parts, revealing that one of these shredders is stronger than the other. Unfortunately, there are several moments where the guitar’s unchecked fury rears its ugly head, with the solos sounding like they’re struggling (“Mankind,” “Deadly Fits”).
The long-awaited Arrival by Acidosis is a fun time, definitely worth a 26-minute investment from thrashers and metalheads in general. Acidosis play a familiar style without real innovation, but they seal it with their own personality, which stems largely from Katzman’s presence as frontman and de facto bassist. Add Acidosis to the list of things I associate positively with Miami – I’ll check it out if and when they serve their next thrash-flawed dish.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-release
Websites: Bandcamp | Releases Facebook worldwide : March 27, 2026
