Razor
Violent Restitution

Album: Violent Restitution
Band: Razor
Year: 1988
Label: Steamhammer
Genre: Thrash

Line-Up:
Adam Carlo (Bass),
Dave Carlo (Guitars),
Rob Mills (Drums),
Stace McLaren (Vocals)

The last Razor album with the previous singer Stace McLaren, this Violent Restitution represents somewhat the culmination of the first phase of Thrash for Razor...

Content:
The tracks are fast and furious, McLaren's voice is a tortured howl: his fantastic shrill high notes will literally pierce your dear de-ears... The sound is decidedly heftier than that of Shotgun Justice, the guitars buzz with pleasure... and as the cover indicates, the closest resemblance is to a chainsaw! The guitar work is consistent, and although compositionally we're not dealing with anything new, the energy emanating from this album makes it captivating. Mills' drumming on this work really starts to get serious (which will later unfold in Shotgun Justice), occasionally breaking out with bursts that finally demonstrate his value. Several tracks are worth listening to: Taste The Floor, Below The Belt, Enforcer are all in pure Razor style!

A special mention goes to what I consider the absolute best Razor track: "Edge Of The Razor", a kind of anthem to themselves, a march (and it's certainly marching! :)) that begins with a series of riffs as simple as they are granite and fierce, which will easily reach the heart of every Thrasher, who will have no choice but to start headbanging!

TadadaTatatatatataTadadaTatatatatata... :) 

Razor distinctively have a much more "street" attitude compared to other bands of the same genre, and I've always liked this a lot: Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax, Testament, etc., are great bands, but a little too polished... Razor represent Thrash in its most genuine form without the Mainstream air of the aforementioned big bands, they haven't achieved big success and money (well, a bit, sure!) and perhaps because of this, they have remained very faithful to the origins of Thrash musically and in spirit.

Until next time!