Vendetta
Brain Damage

The Teutonic Thrash, in its pivotal bands, has always differentiated itself from its overseas counterpart with a more straightforward and fierce sound, consequently leaving little room for harmony and agility. Yet, even in Germany, some bands took deeper and more distinctive paths, betting on technical skill and pushing the complexity of their works to extremes, following the pattern of what was happening in the United States. Among the main exponents of this choice, we recall, with different paths, Sieges Even, Paradox, Deathrow, but also Mekong Delta, Darkness, and the here-present Vendetta.

With "Go And Live...Stay And Die," released in 1987, the Germans, without a proper singer (the two guitarists, in fact, alternate behind the microphone quite decently), showed everyone that they were not just any band in the vast panorama of the period; a hyper-technical and imaginative debut with a gem called "And The Brain Man Fails." The subsequent "Brain Damage" managed to replicate the success (understood naturally in an underground sense) proving to be one level higher, thanks also to an excellent production; now...I own the reissue with improved mastering, but I can certainly attest that even in 1988, it was possible to create dynamic products capable of giving the proper prominence to each instrument while simultaneously creating an effective and structured sound wall.

Essentially, there are two aspects that separate Vendetta from most of the '80s thrash acts; the more evident are the sumptuous lyrics. "War" and "Dominance Of Violence" are expressive denunciations on issues often prevalent in the metal world: the use of force to promote one's ideas. Bands like Overkill and Anthrax, for example, tend to present this problem through simple storytelling or through a near-satirical glorification of it; Vendetta instead chooses a more proven and 'intellectual' approach; hence, songs like "Conversation" and "Precious Existence" focus on the roots of violence, namely the lack of rational communication and love for life. It can easily be assumed that this lyrical proposal is the result of experiences lived in the reality of Germany in those years, entirely akin to the early works of Helloween (I recall the song "How Many Tears") and some works by Scorpions.

The second difference, equally fundamental, is the marked progressive tendency in their musical proposal: a pleasantly varied Techno-Thrash very inclined towards melody; this is a direct consequence of the obvious Heavy influences the combo incorporates (listen to the magnificent title track in this regard, with its not too hidden Maiden-esque stride). Some acoustic parts of "Precious Existence" and the musical complexity of "Fade To Insanity" (a superb sonic puzzle opened by a bass intro that revisits the theme of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony) present some strong resemblances to Annihilator, whose debut, however, would not come until the following year. Similarly, the rhythmic bass work in the opener "War" (and in the album in general) is pulsating and inspired; unlike Cliff Burton or Derek Tailer, who essentially play it like a guitar, Klaus Ullrich stands out with his explosive style and a cheerful Jazz/Funk touch. Although, as we have seen, most of the material is lyrically composed and musically involved, there are also faster, lighter, and more humorous episodes: this is the case with "Love Song," just over a minute of musical oddities à la S.O.D., or "Metal Law" and "Never Die," both of which feature at least a couple of memorable riffs and refined solos by Daxx and Mickey.  

"Brain Damage," the last release from our band, excluding the recent and negligible "Hate," emerges from the anonymous Thrash as an undisputed winner; at the time, some hailed it as "the European Master Of Puppets," probably taken by a bit too much enthusiasm (and too much beer consumed), but, if you're a fan of the vintage Bay-Area sound, this is certainly an indispensable (and underrated) tool of devastation.  

"No more killings, NO MORE WAR, no more weapons, no more.

STANDS UP FOR LOVE!"