•
Rating: Album: 'Eternal Nightmare'
Band: Vio-Lence
Year: 1988
Label: Mechanic
Genre: Thrash, Speed-metal
Line-Up:
Sean Killian (vocals),
Robb Flynn (Guitar),
Phil Demmel (Guitar),
Dean Dell (Bass),
Perry Strickland (Drums)
In '94, I bought the 2nd album from this band (Oppressing the masses) at a time when I was losing interest in Thrash and turning to Death and Grindcore, so that album and this band passed through my ears without causing much of a stir. Big mistake! This album is the most FEROCIOUS thing I've ever heard in the Thrash scene!
Contents:
The opening track of the album "Eternal Nightmare" immediately makes us realize that things are getting serious. The riffs rain down relentlessly, not allowing us to breathe, followed by rhythms with excellent fast and varied tempos. Sean Killian's voice will make many wrinkle their noses. It's not the usual acid scream we're used to in the genre; it sounds more like a mix between rap and hardcore (well, shouted obviously). The vocal lines are almost always out of sync with the music. Personally, after getting used to it, I consider his style fantastic and absolutely original, and it doesn't affect the overall ferocity of the music; indeed, it brings it to a different level compared to the "standard" Thrash made of demons, 666, and various nonsense.
Some of the tracks are truly among the most furious I've ever listened to (and read, given the lyrics present!), particularly "Bodies On Bodies", which I consider one of the best tracks on the album, and the closing track "Kill On Command". The guitar work is fantastic: fast and sharp riffs. A slightly lower step down is the bass and drums, which are still excellent.
How It Sounds (production):
Generally, all instruments are heard well, the sound is quite clear; perhaps a bit lacking in power. A bit of confusion during the frenzied moments; overall, though, the production aligns perfectly with the style.
References:
Robb Flynn (now Machine Head) founded this band after playing in Forbidden (then Forbidden Evil). I don't know if he's also responsible for the material of Forbidden's first album, but if so, well, hats off because he's one of the riff-minding brains that couldn't be better. The following album "Oppressing The Masses" sounds calmer, and I recommend listening to it after this one to avoid jumping to hasty conclusions. I haven't heard their latest album "Nothing To Gain" yet, but I will soon.
"Eternal Nightmare" had a re-release with the EP "Torture Tactics" as a Bonus (see the link at FreeDB). For all the fans of (similar): Forbidden, Testament, Razor, Whiplash, Defiance... and of course to all Thrashers.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Eternal Nightmare (06:09)
Reality slipping and your mind is caving in Submitting to the web that you constantly spin It's over the edge with the straightjacket on It's dragging you down to the world you belong The hell in your mind that you will always see A nightmare of terror, planted eternally Dead space in your head, there can be no escape Reality you see, an image, just a fake Insomnia drives, drives you out of your head Don't lose consciousness while lying in bed Looking in from the outside and tightening your grip Death sickening laughter that's beginning to rip Your eyelids fall and they take you again Eternal nightmare and your horror begins Your head is filled with nothing but fear It has you locked down, comatoses is here I've drank the blood - THAT DEAD SOULS HAVE CRIED I cursed the devil - THEN WATCHED HIM DIE I'm the one - THAT THE SINNERS SEEK Well I'm your master - NOW DON'T YOU SEE I've drank the blood - THAT DEAD SOULS HAVE CRIED I cursed the devil - THEN WATCHED HIM DIE I'm the one - THAT THE SINNERS SEEK Well I'm your master - NOW DON'T YOU SEE [repeat] Now to you I come a calling Reaching for your mind I'm drawing Thoughts of freedom, see them crawling Eternal nightmare, I'm clawing So next time that you fall asleep And let your thought start running deep Remember you're the ones I choose Eternal nightmare, I never lose Calling You come a calling My laughter's mauling Eternally I rule your mind Constricting Your thoughts constricting Your mind is sickening And they're the ones I loved to feed on the most of all
04 Calling in the Coroner (03:53)
Calm collector of the waste
I've come for the dead
Cold my feelings cannot be traced
There's no need, no patients for there
Muttering words, they are so few and forgotten
So please do spare me
This ain't a church and I ain't no priest
So save it for the funeral to be
Slice incision split your chest open autopsy
Precise my thoughts they cannot be broken
when brain-probing
I'm calling out for the next cadaver
son't delay, no corpse decay
And be swift, be quick with the scalpel
This man is dead, he's got only hell to pay
[Chorus]
An open-casket funeral for all to see
The body staring at you, carcass of seams
Our hat's off to ya, coroner, a job well done
the grieving proud of their funeral-faced son.
Accidents just waiting to happen tragically
Unstable mind's continuously snapping on society
Now I'm just here, a product of the country
I'm dealing with the mess that surrounds me
And you can see me on your public TV
Sports jacket, cool tie, and wheeling out the body
[CHORUS]
Distorted features as I picked him off the road
His body mangled, it took ten hours for me to sew together
Perfectly stitched sutured and closed
And staring through glass eyes
Just one more step for mother dear
Her first glance she looks and cries
CORONER CORONER - Pulse stops
CORONER CORONER - You must call him
CORONER CORONER - Deal in rot
CORONER CORONER - Coroner Collect!
Loading comments slowly
