The April 2008 issue of Thrasher (Issue #331) kicks off with Peter Watkins on the cover, captured by Rhino, skating a multi-level bump-to-line that most wouldn’t even notice—showcasing the mag’s ongoing love for hidden spots and creative approaches. Inside, the issue blends heavy skating, chaotic photo features, and a batch of gritty music content, wrapped in the signature Thrasher tone: raw, sarcastic, and relentless.

The Volcom feature sets the pace, headlined by Torey Pudwill's coast-to-coast feeble grind. The write-up rails against anyone who thinks skating can be tamed, likening it to rivers cutting through canyons—unstoppable. In "2 Thrasher," James Hardy recounts bashing his head so hard Sinclair had to pad the ground with a shoe. It’s one of those quotes that sums up the bodily cost and weird camaraderie of skate trips.

The SOTY Party section at page 56 is pure chaos, documenting the awards and destruction that follow the crown each year. Bastrop (p. 92) dives into a surreal history lesson on a Texas town that once held 4,000 German POWs, of all things, while Tampa (p. 112) brings it back to skateboarding glory with full contest coverage. Denver follows on page 124 under the theme “Our devotion is sacred,” capturing the spiritual side of skate pilgrimage to lesser-known cities.

Heads on page 140 is full of character, like a skater proclaiming “Chick-Fil-A all day.” The photo feature (p. 156) titled “Pixels and Emulsion” shows off the best sequences and stills of the month, full of grime and precision. A short stop in Beirut (p. 172) includes the quote “didn’t want to be a fruitbooter,” offering local color and commentary from the global skate community.

The music section rounds it out: Ghoul (p. 176) brings coffins and curios via “Mr. Fang,” No Age (p. 178) drops in with the plea “Get Spanky to come down,” and Matt Bauer (p. 180) offers “economical arrangements.” Brother Reade (p. 182) rolls in with “a whole squad of ’82 Civics,” and Today is the Day (p. 184) closes the section with “many damaging devices.”

Departments include:

• Mail (p. 20): “Internet’s overrated.”

• Skater’s Eye: A flatground freak and science nerd.

• Anatomy: “Error. Card full.”

• ’Zines: “Yer perpetratin’.”

• Sieben: “Snarling underfed pit bulls.”

• Notes: “Naysayers say, nitpickers pick.”

• Photo-G: “Time to shine, headliner.”

• Trash: “That’s Colonel Shitbag to you!”

• On Board: “Girls: Banned.”

• Somethin’ Else: “Gnaradocious!”

Altogether, it’s a rich, chaotic, and deeply Thrasher mix of skateboarding at its gnarliest, weirdest, and most alive.