Saying you like a band but hate their fans is a pretty asinine thing to say. You connect with someone’s music — does that make you dumb by association? Most people are pretty worthless to begin with, and I’m willing to bet even King Crimson attracts a few dullards. Unfortunately, it’s hard to not feel that way about metal in general. You can’t pick who responds to your music, and Dallas’ Power Trip realized that recently when Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld praised the band and used their music on “The Five.” This wasn’t unusual: Gutfeld, with his old show “Red Eye,” brought on GWAR, Melvins’ Buzz Osborne, and ex-Cobalt singer Phil McSorely as guests, and there’s more red-meat conservatives in metal than I’d like to admit. Grow up rebelling against the state, become the state in old age. Anyhow, Power Trip unequivocally told him they do not want his support. In response to some backlash over their disapproval, Power Trip tweeted: “Paradox: how could we be snowflakes with all these hot fire riffs?”

In just that one sentence, they summed up why Nightmare Logic is not only the best metal record of the year, but also why they’re one of the most vital bands out right now: they do not subscribe to the idea that extreme music necessitates being an extreme shithead. Power Trip aren’t above it all — they’re yelling at us to take action, to care, to not settle. They recognize that “Peace be unto thee, unless you want a piece of me” (“Firing Squad,” the album’s most blistering track) and “The choice ain’t up to me, you’ve got to fight to be free” (“Waiting Around to Die,” not the Townes song but still a banger) aren’t mutually exclusive. Isn’t that was the thrash bands of yore were trying to tell us? You may be a metal badass, but you’re still a citizen of this shit Earth, may as well make it so everyone can mosh in peace. To say that Power Trip brought thrash into the 21st century would be misleading; after all, many thrash classics are still in print and still revered by kids. Still, they are making the thrash of now, making a way for us living now to reject apathy and compromise. Of course, it helps that Riley Gale is a pointed lyricist and vocalist, that Nick Stewart and Blake Ibanez pair catchy riffs and divebombs like a well-planned campaign, and drummer Chris Ulsh (told you he would be here again!) lays down the battery. It also helps that Logic isn’t a dry recording; producer Arthur Rizk adds a touch of unsettling madness, especially the distance in Gale’s voice, that only adds urgency while making it more fitting for a world gone insane. A forceful message demands equally forceful music. Choose life: choose Logic.