Few would have predicted much that has happened in 2020, not least the reformation of avant-garde icons Mr Bungle with a re-recording of their first demo! Original members Mike Patton, Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn are joined by frequent collaborator Dave Lombardo... and Scott Ian from Anthrax? Hardly most people's choice for an avant-garde guitarist, yet The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo is not the avant-garde insanity that the band are best known for. Instead, this is fairly typical 80s-styled thrash metal, with hints of death metal and crossover in the mix. And as such, it can be a little difficult to take if you're a fan of other, more complex, Patton projects, not least Mr Bungle's own later albums. The most out-there moment here comes from Rhea Pearlman (Hollywood actress, long-term partner of band friend Danny DeVito) who provides some narration on the first half of Anarchy Up Your Anus, the second half turning into a stompy yet simple thrash ripper with Patton sounding absolutely insane as he shrieks and snarls over the top. And Stormtroopers of Death cover/rework Hypocrites/Habla Espanol O Muere has a brief bit of flamenco guitar before returning to the crossover pounding.

Otherwise that's it! It's far easier to see old-school Exodus and Anthrax fans enjoying this, particularly the likes of Raping Your Mind with its crunchy riffing. Bungle Grind speeds up the tempo a little more, if not really approaching grindcore levels, but doesn't need to be half as long as its six minute plus length. And the nearly nine minute Methematics starts catchily enough, soon speeding back into the usual gallop. Most fun are the shorter, punkier pieces like Eracist, which are far more memorable than the longer, repetitive pieces. At nearly an hour long, this is simply too much. Yet it is fun in small doses, if you like the style; Patton's vocals throughout the album are as deranged as you'd expect, but they're not particularly avant-garde for classic thrash. And the instrumental side of the band is more than solid, particularly Lombardo who beats the drums like they owe him money. A fun distraction for thrash fans and those curious about the early days of Mr Bungle, then, but those expecting anything like Squeeze Me Macaroni or Desert Search for Techno Allah should steer well clear of this.