Making the Road, by Japanese thrash kids Hi-Standard, dishes out the same kind of epileptic hardcore that can be found on their previous U.S.

releases on Fat Wreck Chords, the San Francisco-based punk label.

All is not spit and bile, however; these guys mix campy covers like "Green Acres" with the searing punk rock of "Teenagers Are All Assholes" and the pretty, flute-laden instrumental "Tinkerbell Hates Goatees." Making the Road proves that there is still some small scrap of new ground to be covered in thrash music.

Hi-Standard have staked their claim.