After laying his former band, Tension, to rest and relocating to Phoenix, AZ, in the early '90s, speed metal veteran Tommy Gattis corralled bassist Chris Catero and drummer Ross Martinez into a new project named Wardog. Their modest, independently released debut album of 1994 didn't turn too many heads, but their sophomore effort, Scorched Earth (released by Metal Blade two years later), was another matter, establishing the group as top purveyors of '90s thrash metal (as unpopular as the style was then). After some delay to realign their lineup (adding guitarist Paul Sullivan ...