Violent Mosh

The year is 2004. Thrash metal is making a slow comeback after a period of relative obscurity during the 90's, with some old school gods (most notably, Exodus and Destruction) returning to their roots and releasing some truly killer, genre-defining albums; and yet, the process of recovery is not fully accomplished yet. Old school culture is still not fully ingrained in most people's heads, influencing negatively their conception of what thrash metal is supposed to be in the first place, being polluted with multiple contaminations that occurred throughout the 90's. To put it bluntly: at the time, the idea people had of a "thrash revival" was the "Slaughter of the Soul" thrashy melodeath wave coming from Sweden, with bands such as The Haunted, Carnal Forge and Darkane - which, albeit possessing some legit thrash elements, were still far from being "the real thing", bearing multiple 90's contaminations that people at that point seemed to take for granted. Meanwhile, amongst the most well-protected corners of the underground, a small old school thrash revival was already thriving since the late 90's, with North European bands such as Aura Noir, Nocturnal Breed, Bewitched, Inferno, Desekrator, Gehennah, Hypnosia or Cranium - but those bands were still approaching the genre from an extreme metal perspective (most notably first-wave black metal and old school death/thrash), with the intent to bring back the roots of the North European metal subgenres which had risen to prominence in the 90's. A true old school thrash metal revival, 100% devoid of contaminations and external references, just celebrating the sound in its purest form as you heard it for the most part during the 80's, was still missing. Enter Brazilian young band Violator.

Brazil was not devoid of quality thrash bands in the early 2000's, with Torture Squad releasing their deathrashing magnum opus "Pandemonium" in 2003 - but with their "Violent Mosh" EP, Violator made a definite artistic statement that was sorely needed at the time, by bringing back the purest, most unpretentious, bounciest albeit still reasonably riff-centric form of base-level old school thrash metal. The title "Violent Mosh", the EP's artwork depicting the energy and dynamism of a thrash gig, the gritty 80's style guitar tone, the shouty, almost thrashcore-laden lead vocals coupled with Vio-lence style gang choruses (which would become a staple of the retro-thrash movement) and the lyrics of "Thrash Maniacs" make it instantly clear: Violator is here just to thrash and kick your ass the way it used to be done back in the 1986-89 era, without any concern for the genre's supposed "evolution", nor approaching it just as an artifact of the past only serving as a stepping stone towards more extreme subgenres such as black or death metal; the band sees thrash metal as a legit genre in itself, and it's content to play it for its own sake, with no cavils involved to give any supposed "greater meaning" to their musical offering. Albeit these Brazilian thrash maniacs would reach their commercial success only a few years later with the "Chemical Assault" album, "Violent Mosh" stands, along with Municipal Waste's "Hazardous Mutation", as a true prototype of the retro-thrash movement, displaying its barest essence at the peak of its potential, long before the musical elements proudly shown on this release would turn into trite clichés and the "drink beer and mosh" formula would turn into a vapid commodity.

As a matter of fact, riff shapes and patterns shown on "Violent Mosh" in all their glorious immediacy and infectiousness would later become the blueprint for countless retro bands to come, which would copy these riffs to death until they would naturally lose their power and impact over any seasoned listener. And it's no wonder that so many bands would find these ideas appealing and worth ripping off: the riffing on this EP is a perfect, rare synthesis between melodic immediacy and rhythmic tightness, developed with flawless songwriting prowess with one idea perfectly flowing into the other and all the riffs being part of a dynamic puzzle made to foment your energy more and more as the song progresses. Most riffs are choppy, bouncy, triplet chugs carrying an elegant, powerful melody in the Bay Area Testament/Exodus fashion, with just a small touch of Teutonic/Brazilian roughness to give that extra amount of extremity I've always craved in thrash, and even a slight old school hardcore/crossover edge in the D.R.I. ("Crossover"/"Thrash Zone" era) fashion which is essential to the DNA of most retro-thrash: the formula is more minimalistic and restrained compared to the absolute riff madness of "Chemical Assault", but also more infectious and straight-out memorable, with tons of catchy motifs guaranteed to remain stuck in your head long after listening. I can hear especially a certain amount of craftmanship put into the choruses, always sure to represent the song's climactic apex, as clearly shown by that batshit crazy Vio-lence style riff bursting out on "Artillery Attack" while lead vocalist Poney screams the word "artillery" like a maniac, the epic, breath-taking chorus of "The Plague Never Dies" (quoting a bunch of unforgettable thrash classics from the genre's true golden era) and the super-simple, yet irresistible refrains from "Shadow of Death" and "Killer Instinct". All stuff that would be imitated to death later on, yet never replicated in its essence, energy and elegant synthesis.

If you want to truly understand the roots of the retro-thrash trend which took the metal scene by storm around the late 2000's, this is an essential release and a great place to start. As stated earlier, many of the ingredients and retro-minded attitudes displayed on "Violent Mosh" would later turn into trite, insufferable clichés for braindead neo-thrashers just content to buy the same record with different artwork, band name and song titles over and over as long as "it thrashes hard, maaaan" - and yet, at the same time, I have to admit I'm kinda glad this movement took place, also thanks to bands like Violator. Nowadays, the "pure" old school thrash sound is something taken for granted, with countless bands rehashing that exact style to death - but back in the early 2000's it wasn't at all, with the metal scene having yet to fully recover from a groove/melodeath-induced 90's amnesia. To sum it up: I'm glad I live in a world where modern thrash resembles the likes of Violator and Municipal Waste, rather than Carnal Forge or The Haunted. In spite of its endless stream of copycats, "Violent Mosh" remains a fantastic release to this day, always delivering a healthy dose of true old school thrash metal energy in the catchiest, most infectious way possible - and along with "Chemical Assault", it constitutes Violator's best material for sure. Strongly recommended if you're a thrash fan, and even if you're not a thrash fan: this is the genre's original sound, transposed in the third millennium.

This band was so important for the thrash metal revival, I'd even say it's one of the best ones of the movement. This debut EP isn't their best record but it shows a very well defined concept and attitude, they are all about the old school. At first glance you can hear 2 main influences: Brazilian thrash, super fast and aggressive like Sepultura and the American style like Vio-lence, with a hint of crossover. The vocal style is mid-ranged, not extremely raspy but not clean either; just spitting the words very fast and angry. Lyrically they follow the same tendency, rebellious and political, while leaving room for thrash praise.

The riffing is pretty solid, and the songwriting is dynamic, in an old school context. They repeat themes enough times to make them memorable but there are also interesting bridges everywhere and arrangements that keep the music intense. Generally, riffs are introduced by guitars, drums and bass at the first mark and count a couple of bars and then the whole band kicks in. There are mid tempo breaks too, but mostly they rely on the “tupa tupa” beat, which they play at fast tempos. Even if this isn't innovative at all, it definitely has some balls, which makes it relevant.

Production is OK, not world class but decent. There's a clear intention in the riffing and composition to be as old school as possible but the production doesn't sound that analog. Guitar distortions are sharp and heavy - they could be rawer but still have enough body to do the job. Bass guitar is present but gets lost in the mix at times, just following the guitar riffs. The sound of the drum kit isn't triggered, it sounds acoustic but I found them all little too compressed and flat. Not as natural as you would desire for an old school fashioned record. Overall I found this record pretty enjoyable, not mindblowing but a worthy listen for genre enthusiasts.

It's long been pontificated upon ad nauseam that the thrash revival of the 2000s offers little new to the table, save all the new songs that weren't written when the style was unceremoniously subjected to a premature death in the early 90s due to an odd fetish the media had for multiplying Grunge bands beyond necessity. Far be it for me to subject the reader of this review to yet another diatribe as to why the 90s mainstream (excluding the extreme metal underground, for those who insist that death metal and black metal happened as if I didn't already know that), but it is a profitable thing to mention in light of where much of the early contributors to this grand rebirth came from, namely the fine land of Brazil that provided us all with the likes of Sarcofago and Sepultura.

Granted, the largely heralded Violator got their act together a bit later than Bywar and the similarly styled American act Nocturnal Fear, but 2004 is still pretty early in the game when compared with a lot of the younger crowd currently dominating the scene and annoying those cynical types derided in Evildead's song by the same name more than a decade before this EP was recorded. But for all the insistence that we need not have a boatload of bands sounding the same, it should be thus considered that Violator didn't begin their days aping one band, and to this day don't really do that. Yes, they are a band built out of paying homage to the high octane glory days of late 80s Bay Area thrash, as opposed to a slightly greater number that are stuck on the crossover simplicity embodied in Municipal Waste or pay homage to the 3 great kings of Germany the way their fellow countrymen Bywar have elected to.

But where does that leave things insofar as this band's first EP "Violent Mosh" goes? Well, for starters, it lives up to its name something fierce. It largely takes cues from the rapid paced chugging and galloping craze of later 80s Exodus, but exaggerates them almost to the point of making Jon Schaffer raise an eyebrow, and repeatedly hits the listener's ears with a barrage of violent thrash beats that are as unrelenting as they are precise. It has all the cleanness and punch of a James Hetfield inspired affair, but thankfully the one area where things take on a more original flavor is the vocal assault, which sees something much closer to Death Angel than yet another Hetfield meets Chuck Billy emulation (which was already a widely imitated style before the close of the 80s). Musically it could be likened to the constancy of early Evile, but with a slightly nimbler character and an even more one-dimensional character.

Having said all of this, a lone Persian flaw tends to haunt this otherwise splendid debut by an obviously young and hungry pack of thrashing wolves. To be fair, being a one-trick pony is a staple of the thrash style, but "Violent Mosh" is definitely fixated with moshing and tends to cater to this more than anything else. The riffs are always on at full speed, but it's difficult to listen to this all the way through without losing one's place. The obligatory solos don't really help matters much as a consistent and very much competent nod to early Kirk Hammett with maybe an occasional hint of Bobby Gustafson makes a lot of time for shredding and very little for melodic markers. Nevertheless, every song on here definitely takes the head clear off the shoulders of anyone who lets the violation all the way in, though recalling them afterward may be a challenge.

So yes, originality isn't the priority here, and I don't think have to mention that originality can often cost a band in the quality department if left unchecked. With a great many bands out there to choose from, it's a foregone conclusion that one will need to have priorities, and if your priorities lay somewhere other than old school 80s Bay Area madness with no accounting for subtlety, there are other areas in the thrash world that cater to a more nuanced listener. But how good an album doesn't necessarily terminate on how many twists it has, but often in whether or not it will twist your body out of shape while in the pit, and Violator has definitely had that department covered since day one. Chug-a-lug and chug a few riffs while you're at it, then call the chiropractor the next day if moderation go by the wayside.

This EP from Violator is a pretty useful example for people with interest in thrash or people who are avid fans of thrash who haven't really known what 21st century thrash metal sounds like. Despite the fact that this band does not reinvent the wheel in any way or create a unique way to digest thrash, this EP definitely demonstrates the potential and strength that the brazilian thrash scene has.

The song "Thrash Maniacs" is quite possibly the most famous song from this EP and probably the most recognizable violator song so far, with good reason. The fast riffing, the crushing drums and the spitfire vocals really enrich this track with a trademark thrash metal sound. The bass is not inaudible in this EP but it is not exactly the most prominent instrument present. Nevertheless, it keeps the sound as a whole in a well-aimed approach. "Artillery Attack" and "Let The Violation Begin" both also prove to be quite infectious songs. As far as the drumming goes, I'd say that it is pretty damn solid as a whole. Pedro's screams also provide more energy to the overall experience.

The complaints I have regarding this EP are few but still sort of significant. The production is decent and there can definitely be some improvement in that area. Even though it doesn't ruin the overall sound of the EP, the lyrical content could definitely be more impressive but then again it doesn't exactly make it less enjoyable. Certain songs do drag on though, which can create some boredom from the fan. In many ways, it's almost as if you have to be in an optimal thrash mood to listen to this.

In conclusion: A pretty damn strong thrash release.

As I’m sure we’ve all heard by now, the new wave of thrash bands are making quite the name for themselves, with Bay area bands like Fueled by Fire, and Bonded by Blood, and Cruelty from Germany, and now Violator from Brazil. It seems for the most part the NWOTM (New Wave of Thrash Metal) is coming along quite well. There are a few exceptions of young bands just coming in and rehashing the sound of prominent thrash bands like Exodus, Slayer, Testament, and more. Having that it my mind, I was skeptical when I first listened to this EP. Would this band be another “worship” band, or something that would be actually worth listening to? I am happy to say the result is the latter.

While you can clearly hear the strong influence of Slayer, they’ve taken that inspiration and made it into something of their own. What this basically means is that they’ve taken the sound of mid-Slayer like Divine Intervention and Seasons in the Abyss, and mixed it with Brazilian thrash. They didn’t just create another sound-alike, they improved on the sound. While this may not sound like something too innovative, it truly is. But I mean honestly, how many thrash bands can truly say their sound is original?

While this album isn’t perfect, it’s still a damn good release for a band’s first release. For a band to create such a good sounding thrash album in this day and age, while not rare anymore, is still something to be very thankful for. Every song is pure old-school thrash, which, at the end of the day isn’t that what we all want? A kick ass band that brings back the sound from the 80’s but doesn’t copy it. The songs don’t differ very much in speed, as they’re all full force tremolo picking throughout, but it still gives a great variety of sound.

My only complaints with the release are that it is too short, and the solos aren’t anything special. They’re just the same old fast solos. I’m not saying they were annoying or bad, but that was the one part of the EP that wasn’t really capitalized on. Which isn’t a terrible thing, it would just be nice to hear a halfway melodic solo. Deicide, in my opinion, has the best sounding, non sweep, solo in metal on Homage for Satan. No, it’s not the fastest, or the hardest to play, but it just sounds good. Hopefully, Violator can achieve something close to this in the future. They definitely have the capability to do so. If you ever come across this release, it is, without a doubt, worth the money. I’m not fond of EP’s as they cost more per song than a regular full length album, but this EP is most definitely worth it.

FUCKING FUCK, what's this? 2004? You have to be kiddin' me... These guys look and sound like they came from 1987 Bay Area with a time machine. Tight pants, denims with patches and their little EP all show how very much are these guys influenced by 80s thrash scene. I don't know much more about them, except that they are from Brazil and that they are one of the rare new bands that play 80s influenced thrash metal.

Their music is something like a bit less chaotic Vio-Lence, with lots of triplet riffs, breaks and gang vocals. The vocalist hasn't got much range, but he's OK for the style they play. The gang shouting in the choruses fits in great. More bands should do that, really. Guitarists are the best part of this band. Great thrash riffs on steroids. The riffs are usually fast and effective, with the obligatory slow breaks and nice, but simple solos. Drumming is actually quite diverse and good, if sometimes a tad bit sloppy. The lyrics are OK and oh yeah, vocalist actually shouts ''THRASH'' couple of times. Can it be any better?

The best song on here is The Plague Never Dies with that great descending riff, incredible speed, catchy chorus and an AWESOME thrash break somewhere in the middle.

There are some rays of hope for thrash metal. One of them is definitely Violator. Be on watch for these guys in the future, I'm sure there is many more yet to come.

Wow is all I can say after listening to this EP. This band sounds like a mix of Vio-lence, Exodus, and a little Death Angel, they're definately influenced by some great Bay Area thrash. They're sound is classic, fast, and will make you want to commit random acts of violence.

Track one starts off with that classic, fast thrash sound and doesn't look back, and the whole record is like this. The solos on this album sound like Kirk Hammet lended a hand in playing them, as they have those flashy face-melting licks and phrases that Kirk is known for playing. The only thing I don't like about this release is that the volume on the bass drum could've been louder, but hey, it's an EP.

Fans of old-school Bay-Area thrash, or any thrash fan period should pick this bad boy up.

One of the best bands in this thrash metal revival, this band from Brazil took back the thrash metal in "bay area" style (different of what the most bands in Europe are doing - black-thrash stuff ) with Arcanjo's voice souding like Robert Gonella of the german band Assassin in "Interstellar Experience" times.
Going to the music, we find great songs, starting with "Let the Violation Begin", with a riff a la Exodus and excelent guitar works of Pedro Dias and Juan Lerda, doing solos where we listen their influences of Kirk Hammet (Metallica) and Phil Dammel (Vio-lence). It is a constant in the rest of this EP.
Following, we have "Thrash Maniacs", a song who is ready to be a "hit" for bangers in general, with this title there is nothing more to say, just thrasher.
We have more two songs, "Artillery Attack" and, in my opinion the best, "The Plague Never Dies".
Well, the bonus tracks ("Shadow Of Death" and "Killer Instinct") are more older than the rest of this EP, but are pretty cool too, "Killer instinct" one of the first songs in their career.
Well, for who is a old-school thrasher, this album is essential. The drummer David Araya knows how to play the thrash-banger beat !!!
If you never listen to this, do it now!!