Vio-lence
Oppressing The Masses

Line-up:
Sean Killian - Vocals
Robb Flynn - Guitars
Phil Demmel - Guitars
Dean Dell - Bass
Perry Strickland - Drums

Produced, recorded & mixed by Alex Perialas.

''Hands crushing the heads of some men''. From this macabre but simply fantastic cover, we can already infer the content of this masterpiece entitled 'Oppressing The Masses': a concentrate of violence, adrenaline, and that craving for healthy Headbanging that only albums of this kind can convey.

It is 1990, in the San Francisco Bay Area, which, as enthusiasts well know, is the quintessential place where the greatest Thrash Metal bands were formed. It was hard for Vio-lence to achieve the feat of matching themselves after releasing that unbeatable masterpiece known as "Eternal Nightmare" (1988). Yet they succeed; "Oppressing The Masses" still sounds so damn Thrash, and so damn violent that even if listened to today, one would still be astonished. However, compared to "Eternal Nightmare", there are some stylistic changes, first and foremost the sound quality and the technique of each individual component, which is further refined; but also Sean Killian's voice, which was still raw in ET, is certainly more mature here. Then it largely depends on personal taste; for instance, I preferred Killian's voice in the debut because that schizophrenic and arrogant voice, which makes many frown, fits suitably with the whole aggressive sound.

But let's get to the songs. Without going into a Track by Track review, I want to get straight to the point and talk about the best tracks. Every Thrasher cannot not know 'Officer Nice', which in my humble opinion is one of the most beautiful songs in the entire genre, as well as their best song ever. In its over 5 minutes duration, it manages to be simply devastating, especially thrilling in the chorus where Killian shouts: 'Their laws decide'! Accompanied by fantastic choirs that respond: 'Criminals, Lawbreakers'. The song is a clear denunciation of the violent methods of the Police, who are also accused of corruption. Another great track to mention is Engulfed By Flames, always violent and in their full style. 'World In A World' is another gem; introduced by a paced but impactful riff in full Mosh style, it proceeds to the grand chorus: WORLD...In a...WORLD! One of the strengths of the band, in my opinion, are indeed the choirs, the same used in Hardcore Punk, which are truly engaging and compelling: how to forget those in 'Kill On Command', 'Bodies On Bodies' from the previous Full Length, or those of 'Officer Nice', 'Engulfed By Flames' and 'World In A World' precisely. Their choruses are also noteworthy, like that of the concluding Title Track, impossible not to sing along.

It's hard to determine which is the better work between "Eternal Nightmare" and the album in question. Both are masterpieces produced by one of the ultimate Thrash bands, which so damn well manages to blend the fury of Hardcore Punk with the power of Heavy Metal, just as Old School Thrash Metal tradition demands. When in need of chaos, sonic violence, and lots of healthy fun, Vio-Lence is always a guarantee.