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VENDETTA - THE 5TH (2017)

Back in the eighties when the band was signed to Noise Records they played a part in broadening the German thrash scene, but they were always in the shadows of your Sodom, Kreator and Destruction. The same can be said about the band since their 2007-comeback album Hate. Their last two album haven't impressed that much so it feels like it is make it or break it now for Vendetta if they're going to be a band to look out for in this new age of thrash.

The 5th is not only a nod to Beethoven (see artwork), it's also the bands fifth record and their first album in six years. Personally I don't expect that much from Vendetta these days, because only bassist Klaus 'Heiner' Ullrich still remains from the glory days and their last couple of albums have been quite forgettable.

At times The 5th feels like a solid mix between Destruction / Exumer-like thrash with eerie heavy metal undertones that makes me think of King Diamond and Annihilator. The band incorporates some atmosphere, for instance the classical guitar interlude The Search is quite nice, they also included a ballad titled Nevermind. Though, my favourite tracks from the record is Deadly Sin, The Prophecy and Religion is a Killer. Overall this is fast and brutish thrash with some occasional 90's groove/thrash heaviness. Not that impressive but not necessarily bad either.

The album is mixed by Poltergeist's old guitarist V.O. Pulver and the production is modern, tight and clean. I'm not the biggest fan of Mario Vogel's strained vocals either. The 5th from Vendetta is a decent thrasher and it can bring out some headbanging but compared to the band's classic period this is quite bleak. Today when there are so much competition from both old and new bands I'll bet that this album will soon fall into obscurity.  

⭐⭐

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VENDETTA - BRAIN DAMAGE (1988)

Vendetta was a speedy thrash metal group of the late eighties that gained a minor cult-status with their two albums, and this 1988-release was their second and last album, Brain Damage saw the light of day one year after their debut "Go and live, stay and die", both on Noise Records.

Brain Damage is a varied album, some songs are gloomy, others are wild in a mellow way, and this album has it's old school thrash parts too. Sounding much like a Bay Area-band, because Vendetta's style was not super-fast and aggressive but rather rhytmic, Vendetta used two vocalists Daxx Homerlein & Micky, that makes the music even more varied, both of them are fair vocalists. Usually the vocals are just aggressive and straight-forward. Favourite songs are "War", "Fade to insanity" & "Love song", Powerful and effective german thrash of the highest quality.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENDETTA - GO AND LIVE.... STAY AND DIE (1987)

It has been a few years since the last time I listened to Vendetta's debut. It has aged very well I must say. Go and Live... Stay and die is an album that reminds me of Exumer's excellent debut Possessed by Fire. But this album has more melodies to it without giving in an inch on the heaviness.

They arrived a little later than Kreator, Destruction and Sodom and that's probably why they aren't amongst the big German bands. Vendetta had no chance even if they at times were about as good as any other band in the genre. I really like the fast thrashy guitar riffs on this album, it's just a smorgasbord of great intense and speedy riffs.

Unfortunately the production was a little thin on this LP. I will summarize Go and live... Stay and die by saying that it's probably one of the ten best thrash metal albums from Germany of all time.   

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENGEANCE RISING - ONCE DEAD (1990)

In 1988 Vengeance Rising blew some fresh air into the somewhat stale christian metal scene with their debut album Human Sacrifice. Two years later came the highly anticipated Once Dead. One thing that strikes me when listening to this album is the fuzzy production and the drum sound. It's not a St. Anger bad but it was rather bad for being an 1990 release, Below average no doubt about it.

I like the intensity and the outrageos nature of their debut but Once Dead doesn't deliver the same feeling, this is much more mechanical and it all drowns in the bad production. Roger Martinez vocals are extreme (he sounds like a snarling beast) but I like those vocalists that are instantly recognizable and Roger is one of those. Once Dead is a classic in the christian metal community and has been recognized as such ever since it was released but I think that Once Dead is quite frankly average and it's not as good as their debut album Human Sacrifice was. Still it has it's moments where the band flies musically but I wouldn't go so far to call this a classic.

Funny story; Walmart actually refused to sell this album because of the artwork, It might seem rediculous today but that's how censorship works. I can agree that the artwork is ugly but hardly that controversial. All in all, Once Dead might have been shocking for a christian audience but to us non-believers this is not as extreme or groundbreaking.  

⭐⭐⭐

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VENGEANCE RISING - HUMAN SACRIFICE (1988)

Vengeance Rising debuted in 1988 and Human Sacrifice became one of the first bands to play extreme christian metal. Sure bands like Stryper, Trouble, Barren Cross and a few others had christian themes and lyrics but none was as extreme as Vengeance Rising's debut album. Soon thereafter bands like Tourniquet, Living Sacrifice, Believer, Deliverance came along and christian thrash metal became quite common before grunge and death metal swept it all away.

Sure the lyrics get's a little preachy at times but when it comes to the music Vengeance Rising is a rather talented band and their delivery is as hard and gruesome as just about any band in the business. Especially the vocals by Roger Martinez, he doesn't sound like any christian I know, haha.

The music sounds like Venom or Mercyful Fate meets Slayer and Kreator.

Also worth noticing is that the band went under the name Vengeance on early pressings of this album. They later changed it and became Vengeance Rising due to another band owning the rights to the name.

The album got a bad audio engineering two minutes into the song Burn, a bad vocal edit is left in the middle of the song which is a bit annoying when it is one of the coolest tracks on the album.

Vengeance Rising will always be in the history books from a christian standpoint and it is often hailed as one of the best christian metal albums of all time, even if it pissed off a few christians as well because of the demonic singing. So Human Sacrifice is a classic in the white metal field, but I think it also deserves to be spinned by the secular thrash metal fans as well. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - FROM THE VERY DEPTHS (2015)

Venom has struggled hard to find their sound and place ever since they left Neat Records in the mid eighties. With a dozen of lineup changes and main men Cronos and Mantas being in the band one day and out of the band the next. But for the last decade it's been Cronos who has been the man that kept Venom alive. Today the lineup consists of Cronos, Rage and Danté, the lineup that first recorded the Fallen Angels album back in 2011 are now back with From The Very Depths, released through Spinefarm Records.

Even if Venom are the pioneers of Black Metal, their sound is quite far away from where the Black Metal-scene is today. Venom is more a darkened punky thrash metal band today. The comparisons with Motörhead never gets old and if you throw in some Discharge and Sodom you'll get an idea of how Venom sounds today.

From The Very Depths is varied album and the band experiments with everything from punk to heavy metal and thrash. Drummer Danté does a great job behind the drums and guitarist Rage is perhaps a better musician than Mantas ever was even if he hardly writes riffs that will go down in history. It's another time now and it's impossible to have the same impact on the metal scene that Venom had thirty years ago.

The modern studio techniques has also evolved so this album is as you can expect a product of it's time. The album has a dirty and noisy sound even if the production is sharp by today's standards. Venom also manages to write some catchy songs even if the album might be Venom's thrashiest to date. From The Very Depths of Hell is a solid album but I'm doubting the lasting power of it.

"Line up the Marshall stacks

We're killing King Creole

With devastating thrash

The Death of Rock n Roll."

⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - METAL BLACK (2006)

On Metal Black Mantas has left Venom and newbie Mykus has joined the almighty creators of Black Metal. So the guitars is a bit different on Metal Black but still the album has it's closest relative in 2000's Resurrection. The album has a super heavy production and thunderous riffs more common in groove metal than in thrash.

There's a lot of focus on heaviness on Metal Black with the hammering drums and Mykus heavy riffs. One thing I need to adress the somewhat corny title of this album it's quite obvious that the bands heyday is behind them and they do just about anything to flirt with their past. Venom has released at least ten compilation and live albums since the release of their last studio album 2000's Resurrection. So one might wonder if Venom are in it for the right reasons or just trying to make a buck of from their glorious heritage. There are many ways of selling out and this is definitely one of them, but how about the album Metal Black then...?

Well, Cronos is still in the band and his voice and attitude is always recognizable, the lyrics and titles are also pure Venom but the production is so different from their glory days, maybe this is a Black Metal for the modern age but it doesn't have that originality that Venom once brought to the metal genre. I'm sorry to say this but I think that Venom has struggled artistically since the mid eighties and Metal Black does nothing to change that fact, maybe Venom should stick to selling t-shirts and releasing new compilation albums every six months instead...   

⭐⭐

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VENOM - RESURRECTION (2000)

After 1997's Cast in Stone, drummer Abaddon left Venom and in came Cronos own brother Antony 'Antton' Lant. Resurrection has arguably the most polished studio sound when comparing to their old records, One can say that the modern studio techniques and equipment changed Venom's sound drastically. The band now delivers a more thrash / groove metal sound with dirty and dark Venom-esque undertones.

But somehow Resurrection was quite different from their latest release Cast in Stone, everything here feels way more professional and more up to date here. It's tight, it's grand but it's still pure Venom somehow. If Cast in Stone had some industrial and mechanical undertones. Resurrection overall feels and sounds like a better album. I did listen to this album once or twice when it was released but i haven't given it a fair chance until lately and I must say that is what I've expected but also a bit darker, thrashier and heavier than their previous couple of albums. Venom is still at war...  

⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - CAST IN STONE (1997)

The original Venom lineup of Cronos, Mantas and Abaddon returned in 1997. It was a strange time for Venom to return when their music was so old fashioned and so far away from the trends of the modern day music scene. I remember the time when this album was released and the CD was for sale in our local shop but I didn't pick it up even if I liked the intro track The Evil One. Which was a catchy tune with solid old school repetitive riffs. But time passed and now in 2015 I'm writing a review for Cast In Stone and I've been listening to the album a few times for the first time in over a decade.

The first thing that strikes me is that the album sounds so dated and the production is lousy, it's noisy and thick and it has 90's industrial undertones. This might also be Venom's thrashiest album to date. it's quite fast and heavier than anything the band has done before. But at the same time something is really missing. Some intricate songwriting perhaps because Cast in Stone is a very simplistic album that focuses a lot on heaviness and crunch. If the album was produced in a more traditional way Cast in Stone could have been amazing.

Because I kind of like the dirtiness that the album has. Songs like The Evil one, Raised in Hell, Kings of Evil and Flight of the Hydra are memorable and thrashy songs. Speaking of Flight of the hydra, it might very well be their fastest and thrashiest song of all time. Cast in Stone was the first Venom album to feature the original lineup for twelve years but it was also the last time Abaddon played the drums in Venom and he will probably never return. Cast in Stone is a mixture between really great riffs and vocal lines but at the same time it's repetitive and at times bad. Heaven and Hell at the same time.  

* Cast in Stone was released as a three-CD/LP album with the first two being all new material and a bonus CD/LP with old re-recorded Venom classics.

⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - THE WASTE LANDS (1992)

The Waste Lands was Venom's last album before Cronos reunited with the band. So one could say that it's the last album of the second era of Venom. The era when Tony 'Demolition Man' Dolan fronted the band. In 1992 Venom was deeper underground than ever before.

Most metal fans had forgot about their early success by then and just about every Venom release was bashed because it didn't have the aesthetics of those early cult albums.

So The Waste Lands was as you can expect no success. Maybe a bit unfair because mid-era Venom is actually quite good, but it's so far away from what Venom did in the beginning so it upset a lot of fans.

The Waste Lands is a more traditional heavy metal with some haunting and quirky King Diamond-melodies. The album also has a more experimental side, that's where the keyboards come in. I like the tracks Cursed, I'm Paralysed, Black Legions, Riddle of Steel, Kissing The Beast and Wolverine. The album is quite good but it ends in a rather strange way with Clarisse. An acoustic ballad about Clarisse from the movie The silence of the lambs.

I would summarize the review by saying that The Waste Lands doesn't have a lot in common with the earlier versions of Venom, no The Waste Lands is more of a dark and atmospheric heavy metal album with thrash tendencies and I consider it underrated. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - TEMPLES OF ICE (1991)

Venom, the lords of evil once that rewrote the whole metal history. Now ten years into their career they are struggeling quite a lot. The early nineties wasn't a pleasant time for Venom, members came and went.

Mantas and Cronos didn't get along and without them both the band lost some of it's magic. Sure Prime Evil was a good album, perhaps not good in an old Venom fashion, but still a solid metal album. By 1991 it felt like it was now or never for Venom after a few less significant albums in the band's career. Most fans of the band seem to think that they lost some of the magic around At War with Satan or on Possessed. But the times where changing and in 1991 metal was on it's way deep underground when the modern winds blew in over the metal landscape. But let's not fully blame themedia for Venom's failure on Temples of ice. Venom must blame themselves for this album.

Venom was a band in transition and most of their old fans were a bit upset with the direction the band took around the release of Possessed. Here on Temples of Ice the satanic imagery is almost fully washed away. The variation, the darkness, the downtuned slow songs are all things of the past. We're left with a up-tempo heavy metal album. Nothing that fully cathes the listeners attention. This album is faster on occasions but the rawness isn't there so the speed doesn't matter when it feel like it is speed just for speeds sake, no real intentions behind to back the songs up.

One thing that hasn't changed is the gritty production, the one and only thing that they could have changed without destroying the bands momentum. This was a hard time for the band that went from pioneers to almost obscurity by 1991. While not being fully significant it's still an alright album but I wouldn't suggest you start with this album if you're curious of Venom's music. 

⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - PRIME EVIL (1989)

Venom's sixth album was their first without bassist and vocalist Conrad "Cronos" Lant. He was replaced by Atomkraft's Tony 'Demolition Man' Dolan. After the rather weak The Calm Before the Storm and the disappointing Possessed Venom's reputation was tarnished and the loss of the bands charismatic front man Cronos led the band in another direction.

The satanic imagery has been toned down and Prime Evil sounds a bit like a slightly punkier and rougher King Diamond-release. Venom's early material is on the primitive side but here ten years into their careers the band has matured and they are all better musicians by the release of Prime Evil. Tony 'Demolition Man' Dolan is more of a typical speed metal-vocalist and he doesn't moan and grunt like Cronos did. Changing the bands vocalist is always a tough thing to do but Tony Dolan does a great job but some fans will never accept anyone else than Cronos at the microphone and I guess that is OK.

The album starts with a real metal anthem called Prime Evil and continues with the brilliant Parasite. Blackened Are the Priests is also a great track and let's not forget the thrashers Carnivorous and Insane.

Maybe Prime Evil wasn't as evil, cool or groundbreaking as Venom's early released on Neat Records but no one can say that the band didn't evolve as musicians with Prime Evil. Maybe it's too different for some fans to fully appreciate Prime Evil. But I dare to say that Prime Evil is their best post-Neat album. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - CALM BEFORE THE STORM (1987)

In 1987 a new Venom emerged, out went the original guitarist Jeff 'Mantas' Dunn and in came both Mike Hickey and Jimmy Clare. The changes can mostly be heard in the riffs, the typical dark Venom-riffs are almost gone, replaced by a more traditional metal sound, which bursts onto some great thrash tunes. The guitarduo Mike Hickey and Jimmy Clare showed a more technical playing than what Mantas ever has done for Venom. The song structures and immortal riffs are what the new lineup is lacking in.

The old Venom spirit has been worn out. Cronos vocals are not as demonic as before, you can still hear that it's Cronos, but he has tuned down his hellish moaning and he sings faster than before. A thing that disturbs me are the weak backing vocals, they sound too tame for a such a dark band as Venom. The "over the top"-satanic lyrics has also been tuned down quite significant, but Venom haven't started writing love songs I can guarantee that. Overall "Calm before the storm" is a solid album but it suffered heavily in production. People often mention their earliest efforts and they seem to ignore Venom after 1985. But I think that "Calm before the storm" is a ok album, not a legendary one but "Calm before the storm" has it's moments. 

This album was released under the name "Metalpunk" on later releases. And it features a couple of fine songs like the intro-track "Black X-mas", The monster riffs in "The chanting of the priests" is wonderful. The violent "Krackin up" is another bruising Venom song. "Calm before the storm" feels more like "Calm after the storm". Venom are not as evil as the they where in the beginning and "Calm before the storm" must be seen as a disappointment.  

⭐⭐

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VENOM - POSSESSED (1985)

If Black Sabbath created heavy metal, Venom created all extreme metal, and after three legendary albums "Possessed" hit the stores in 1985. I can understand the fact that it was impossible to live up to the importance of those early works. As the years passed, new bands came in and put Venom's musicianship to the test.

Venom's shock value sunk in the competition of more extreme bands and by 1985 bands could no longer thrive without being handy musicians and crafty songwriters. It was a pivotal time for Venom and they slacked off and in a matter of years a whole bunch of bands was way more exciting than Venom. It's kind of sad that the bands that Venom inspired was the bands that took their throne as the kings of extreme metal.

When most bands went in a more extreme direction, Venom went slowly the opposite way. Possessed isn't as dark as the early stuff. It's punkier, cleaner and not as satanic as their early works. Venom never was a musicians band but on Possessed it's quite evident that their best time was behind them. Sure there are a few memorable choruses and so but the whole album is just so sloppy, some of it's problem can definitely be blamed on the lousy production. But you can't blame everything on the producer. But Possessed is still better than their lousy follow-up "Calm Before The Storm" which was released just two years later. Possessed ain't completely terrible but it was here that Venom started to turn sour.

Possessed? Not Really, a better suited word would be: Regressed. 

⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - AT WAR WITH SATAN (1984)

Prior to their 'Seven dates of hell'-tour, back in 1984 Venom released the eagerly awaited 'At war with satan' and it was their third release. It was a typical Venom release for the time, evil, distortion and grunts, but the thing that Venom will be remembered for with this release is the 20 minutes long track 'At war with satan' that really is something out of the ordinary. A song that declares war on christianity (believe it or not). A dynamic song that has a lots of stages, from thrash to acoustic parts with a whole lot of attitude and excellent lyrics.

The lyrics on this album is way above average, not just 'hail satan', these songs are tales of evil. At war with Satan was also recorded in the Impulse studios so it definitely has the classic Venom-sound. The songs are more epic here and refined and Venom has never sounded better.

I'll give it a shot to describe their sound, it's as downtuned and distorted as it can be, with moaning and grunts from mainman Cronos. Not always that fast, the tempo goes up and down and it makes it easier to listen to, which I think is great. The best songs on At war with satan is of course the title track, Rip ride & Cry wolf. The whole album has a quite high overall standard, so there will not be any let downs, even if the last song Aaaaarghhh is more or less only screams and moans. And the song At war with satan stands above the rest and it feels like they used most of their skills concentrating on that songs and they tend to lose direction in some of other songs. But don't worry, it's still great overall.

Neat originally released At war with satan on LP in 1984 but it was later reissued on CD by Roadrunner. And have a look at the marvelous artwork, perhaps the coolest thing I've ever seen!!! And I do happen to think that Venom was at their prime here and things started to go downhill from here. but this is still a main target for collectors. STORM THE GATES!!!  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - BLACK METAL (1982)

1982 a year that heavy metal started to take hold for real but in Newcastle a band called Venom ruled and they created a different type of metal that wasn't heard before, today they are known as originators of most extreme metal genres. On Black Metal the sound was very thrashy even if the thrash scene wasn't "officially" invented in 1982, Wheter you label early Venom as speed/thrash or not is up to you, but it's definitely the most extreme metal around in the early 80's.

Black metal has a great production for the time being and the songs are refined compared to Welcome to Hell, more thrashy and we love that here at Ruuth's Inn. At war with satan was later released on their LP with the same name, but on this version the song is shortened. Many of their most classic songs were released onto the world in 1982, or what about, Black Metal (which gave name to a whole genre) Countess Bathory and my own favourite Don't burn the witch.

The production is raw in a typical Venom-style, all their early records has a similar sound which I think is great. Another great thing with the album is the lyrics, It's well-written stuff. If you missed out on Venom and especially the Black Metal LP than you better order it instantly, you just can't find any more classic album than this. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VENOM - WELCOME TO HELL (1981)

On the very first day god(?) created Venom and the rest is history. Welcome to hell by Venom blew the underground wide open when it was released in 1981, it was the most intense and evil album people ever had heard.

They were the most extreme band in every aspect, the lyrics, the artwork, the music, the vocals. Just about every thrash band from the mid-eighties claimed Venom as a big influence. But when it comes to the question whether this album can be claimed as thrash or not, people are divided. Some people think that this album is sloppily played and the production ain't good. But yet Venom was the most wicked creation in music in the early eighties. Almost every song on this album is carved into the metal hall of fame.

Songs like: Welcome to hell, Live like an angel (Die like a devil), Witching hour, One thousand days in sodom and In league with satan are all true metal classics. I can agree that Welcome to hell ain't the tightest and best performed album music-wise but it is very enjoyable. It's really hard to rate this album, but I can't do anything but to recommend it to everyone that are into metal even though the production and the tightness are by todays standard very low.

There would probably be no thrash without this legendary debut. "Welcome to hell" was released in 1981 by Neat. Long before Slayer, Exodus, Anthrax, Metallica and countless others walked the earth. Welcome to Hell is the most important metal album of all time.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VIKING - MAN OF STRAW (1989) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)

"Man of Straw" (1989) is the second and final statement from Los Angeles thrashers Viking, and my god did they progress. Their debut "Do or Die", which gave our webmaster multiple orgasms, was, although faster than lightning, never more than OK to me.

"Man of Straw" is so much more versatile and varied. Here, we are offered nice song structures, cool tempo changes and some of the nastiest mid tempo chugs ever in the world of thrash. And if you believe that they lost the intensity and the brutality you are wrong. Dead wrong. Lots of asskickers here. "White Death", "Twilight Fate" and "Winter" to name but three that will demolish every excuse you can come up with for not owning this album if you consider yourself a thrasher.

Sadly, Ron Eriksen turned to christianity (and today considers the Viking-albums "blasphemous") and Viking dropped their six album-contract with Metal Blade and disbanded. Well, I say crank up "Man of Straw" and be a blasphemer!    

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VIKING - DO OR DIE (1988) 

After appearing on the Metal Massacre compilation with the song Hellbound, Viking recorded and released their debutalbum named "Do or die" in 1987 when thrash metal was at it's peak.

 "Do or die" were a quite typical album of the time. Real intense thrash not so far away from Los Angeles neighbours Dark Angel in style. Vocalist Ron Eriksen's style is reminiscent of Tom Araya's vocalstyle. Rapid vocals and some deadly outbursts now and then. Songs that will make your neck stiff are; Hellbound, Killer Unleashed and the title-track Do or die.

This album is "out of print" these days, and that's a shame this is thrash metal of high quality. Guitarist Brett Eriksen was recruited by Dark Angel when Viking disbanded after releasing one more album, called Man of straw. This album is not as varied or heavy like Man of straw, this is more of the basic thrash style that Dark Angel possess. Straightforward and violent thrash!  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VIO-LENCE - NOTHING TO GAIN (1993) 

Nothing to Gain was the last full-length album that Vio-Lence recorded. The band struggled a bit since they left Atlantic records. To add salt to the wounds the Grunge wave was coming and the record companies wanted the thrash metal bands to slow down to ride on the commercial wave. So Vio-lence took down the tempo a few notches. Probably inspired by the huge success that Metallica and Megadeth had in the early nineties.

Vio-lence knew that the interest for the band started to drop when the musical landscape started to change. Nothing to Gain was actually recorded in 1990 but it took until 1993 before Vio-lence had a label to release it on and by then Robb Flynn had left the band to start his new band Machine Head. The band took in Ray Vegas but Vio-lence days was numbered and the band soon thereafter disbanded

 Nothing to Gain wasn't a success, it flirted a bit with the upcoming grunge and groove-wave without fully immersing themselves in it. The base is still thrash but more of the mid-tempo type. A Vio-lence that wasn't so violent anymore. Nothing to Gain ain't that far away in sound from what Death Angel did on their Act III.

But compared to their first two full-lengths Nothing to Gain was a disappointment but I wouldn't go as far as saying that this is a complete sellout.  

⭐⭐⭐

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VIO-LENCE - TORTURE TACTICS (1991) 

After the departure from Atlantic Records Vio-lence signed up with Caroline Records and released this EP. On Torture Tactics Vio-lence became less serious. I was never a fan of humorous metal, because I want my metal to be taken serious. With a song title like Dicks of Death Vio-lence crosses into M.O.D.-land when it comes to rediculous titles and lyrics.

The song Torture Tactics is a solid thrasher and it was originally written to be on the Oppressing the Masses LP, but due to it's offensive lyrics the label didn't want to include it, the following track is a live-version of the Vio-lence classic Officer Nice. The third track Gutterslut is quite good to with it's violent vocal delivery and back-up shouts, the band had some problems with cencorship because of the lyrics for Gutterslut.

The last song Dicks of Death is just embarassing as the title might imply. The album was mixed and produced by Alex Perialas, he always brings the records a solid sound and the production is good here. I strongly prefer the first two full-lengts from Vio-Lence. This EP is for the big Vio-Lence fans only. Torture tactics is an average EP.  

⭐⭐⭐

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VIO-LENCE - OPPRESSING THE MASSES (1990) 

Vio-lence is back with Oppressing the Masses which is their second release. It's from 1990 but that wasn't too late because Vio-lence became a world wide cult band with their undisputed style. With offensive edgy lyrics and an angry vocalist this could almost has been labeled as crossover if it wasn't for the music that is very based in the Bay area mold.

Vio-lence was perhaps the fastest and most aggressive in the San Francisco area. Oppressing the Masses might not be as obsolete as their excellent debut, but still very close of getting five stars. The musicianship is just flawless. You just want to dive into a big moshpit when you hear this kind of lunatic metal music, extremely raging and frenetic material.

All songs goes on in the same high tempo and it's often backed up with a typical thrash choir (the kind of shouting hockey choir). Very similar to their first album if you love that one you better find this one instantly. Just listen to the song "World in a world" which is one of their best songs ever.

The vocals by Sean Killian is better than before, perhaps I've started to like his vocals even if it needs a certain acquired taste. Very straightforward vocals indeed. To sum this up I would have to say that Oppressing the masses is one of the true gems in the late Bay Area scene. Forgotten by many and it stands a bit in the shadow of their debut but don't let that scare you. Oppressing the Masses is Thrash for the Masses!   

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VIO-LENCE - ETERNAL NIGHTMARE (1988) 

The most vital and violent band in the bay area fraternity must be Vio-lence. This is their debutalbum from 1988. Very fast thrash, especially Sean Killian's vocals are at full speed and the rest of the band backs up Mr. Killian often in a Anthrax-kind of way, but I'm a bit annoyed by his one-tone vocals, he makes the music somewhat repetitive.

The music itself is crunchy and fast similar to neighbours Exodus or Nuclear Assault and Hirax might be a better comparision. I absolutely love the song "Calling in the coroner" which has a pounding high-pulse feel to it, The song Serial Killer is another Vio-lence classic, overall a high standard type of thrash.

Eternal Nightmare is one majestic beast, Perhaps even the best album that have emerged out from the Bay Area scene, certainly entertaining stuff . The song Phobophobia got wonderful guitarplay and some superb riffing.. Eternal Nightmare is absolutely worth to check out. The drumming is intense and great as well as the guitar riffs that are blasted at full speed. Highly recommended for anyone who likes fast metal. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VIOLENT FORCE - MALEVOLENT ASSAULT OF TOMORROW (1987) 

Violent Force from Germany released just one album before disbanding, it was released in 1987 through Roadrunner Records. The band actually recorded a follow-up but it remains unreleased. Violent Force was indeed violent, their style reminds me of Kreator, especially on the faster songs. Like the song S.D.I., it sounds like a bonus track from "Pleasure to Kill". You can also hear some Tankard, Slayer and Motörhead in Violent Force's music.

At times Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow is highly enjoyable but it doesn't reach the same heights as the classic german thrash albums, it's just too inconsistent. Violent Force had some talent, no doubt about that and this album gets mentioned at times when people discuss underground gems of the genre.

The production is a bit flat but you can at least hear all the instruments clearly. The vocals are raspy and aggressive. The album has the typical german sound that bands like Kreator, Sodom and Destruction got famous for. Speaking of german thrash, Drummer Atomic Steif has played with Sodom, Assassin, Holy Moses and Living Death. He started his drumming career here in Violent Force. And no it's not Lemmy from Motörhead singing on this album, they just share the name. I'll give Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow four stars.   

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VOIVOD - NOTHINGFACE (1989) 

The canadian thrashers Voivod released Nothingface in 1989, one year after their highly regarded Dimension Hatröss.  Their sound is hard to describe for those who never heard Voivod. It's progressive and anarchistic, where other bands are controlled, Voivod is chaos. After years of playing noisy yet progressive thrash metal the band evolved beyond the realm of thrash on Nothingface.

Voivod sounds like no other metal band I've heard. 'Snake', the vocalist sounds very laidback with his almost talking mid-range voice, almost like a vocalist from a pop/rock-band. Voivod forged their own unique sound and no one can take it away from them but in terms of memorable riff 'Nothingface' is not for you.

The music itself is hypnotic and flawlessly executed. For those who like bands that tries to be creative and make their own sound will love Voivods Nothingface. The song Astronomy Domine is a Pink Floyd-cover. I personally think that 'Nothingface' is too weird and it lacks some aggression of the earlier Voivod-releases even if the musicianship is still intact. It's known that the band left the thrash scene and walked furthered into progressive metal, So I can only recommended for openminded progressive fans.  

⭐⭐⭐

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VOIVOD - DIMENSION HATRÖSS (1988) 

By each release Voivod had moved further away from thrash metal and closer towards the progressive realms. Dimension Hatröss was the last Voivod-album I would call thrash metal before the band got too weird and progressive. Dimension Hatröss narrates in fragments the exploits of Voivod's mascot; Korgüll the Exterminator. As you might have guessed this is a continuation of the brand of sci-fi thrash they created with "Killing Technology", but "Dimension Hatröss" is more refined and a less chaotic and thrashing.

The razor-sharp production by Harris John is even better than on "Killing Technology", it's craftmanship of the highest standard. And de instrumental skill-level that each member of the band possesses is staggering. There is also a shift in Snake's singing on this album, he no longer sings like a rabid dog, The talkative vocals that he fully adopted here became the standard that 'Snake' kept up for the rest of Voivod's catalogue.

Dimension Hatröss might need a certain acquired taste but how fun is it when every band just rehashes old ideas all the time. So give it a chance, but keep your mind open because it draws you into this hypnotic state were strange riffs and unconventional compositions feels natural. Voivod never played by the rules, they went their own way and it could have developed a wave of similar bands if only anyone could follow in their footsteps. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VOIVOD - KILLING TECHNOLOGY (1987) 

The first robotic words spoken on Killing Technology could have been taken from any eighties sci-fi movie. Listening to this album gives me the same haunting and intense respect for the black unknown that space is, as the Alien-movies did back in the eighties. And if there ever was sci-fi thrash metal, this is it.

This was actually the first time Voivod started experimenting with science fiction-lyrics and artwork and they mastered it on their first try. "Killing Technology" is much more complex as well as a more adventurous than their previous albums. I must say that Harris Johns production is a thing that seperates this album from "War and Pain" and "Rrröööaaarrr". The production is distinct. This is a smorgasbord bizarre guitar-chords, rhythms that seems off, punkish vocals and abstract arrangements. Guitarist Piggy's unconventional way of creating music was highly innovative and still quite unique to this day, sorry Vektor ;)

I also like Michel 'Away' Langevin's drumming here. It's precise as a Swiss watch. Snake's vocals are almost talkative and punky but they really bring out that weird feeling this sci-fi masterpiece needs. This is when Voivod perfected both the thrashing speed with the progressive elements. "Killing Technology" is their crowning achievement. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VOIVOD - RRRÖÖÖAAARRR (1986) 

What a fitting name for a monstrous and unorthodox album like this. Voivod took the base from their predecessor War and Pain and made everything a little better. Rrröööaaarrr is thrashier, it's faster and more violent than their debut. The production is also improved but it's still so noisy and chaotic. Some may dismiss this record as a punky mess, but that's really not the case.

It's just that intense and non-melodic. If War and Pain was sloppy this album is way more precise in it's delivery. I put this album in the thrash genre but this is so much more, so different from the usual thrash from 1986. It's hard to hear what Snake is singing, maybe it's his french accent but he is convincing in his approach. Add to that the almost jazzy guitarplay by Piggy. It should be impossible to make it all work together but everything melts together nicely.

Rrröööaaarrr is a fitting passage between the primitive yet intense "War and Pain" and the technical and proggressive thrash-albums "Killing Technology" and "Dimension Hatröss". The sci-fi themes aren't fully developed here either, it's more of the typical thrash metal lyrics here. I have to mention the song Korgüll the Exterminator, It's a strong track that set the standards high immediately. RRRÖÖÖAAARRR might be a chaotic mess, but damn it's a great one.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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VOIVOD - WAR AND PAIN (1984) 

After the first rumbling seconds when 'Snake' screams Voivod, you know that you're in for one hell of a ride. The sheer intensity, originality and chaotic aggression really set the standard for all violent music.

It's kind of incredible that such a ferocious record could be recorded back in 1984. Voivod took their influences from the boiling NWOBHM-scene but also from hardcore punk and progressive rock and melted it all into this debut LP. Metallica had Kill 'Em All, Slayer had Show no Mercy, Anthrax had Fistful of Metal and Voivod had War and Pain and together they all laid down the fundaments of thrash metal, 30 years ago.

Voivod is a little more anonymous than those bands but they deserve to be recognized as one of the inventors of thrash, especially when War and Pain was even more violent and aggressive than those bands counterparts. Denis 'Snake's Belanger tormented vocals reminds me a bit of Tom G. Warrior of Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, but with a punkier approach to the music. There is a lot of hardcore punk over War and Pain, bands like Black Flag, GBH, Discharge and The Exploited influenced Voivod as well as Motörhead and Venom.

Some people dislikes the sloppiness and how underdeveloped this is comparing to their later albums. But none of those album pushed the boundaries of what was possible as far as War and Pain did. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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