PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
A posthumous release for bassist Bones, Evil Army‘s Violence and War is a five track blast through death-thrash. These three Memphis denizens kick things off with a killer divebomb, letting listeners know they mean business. They’ve got a maniacal, rip your head off direction established right away.
Songs range from a hardcore punk type sound with a touch of thrash, to a much more classic extreme metal sound (Bathory). Unashamed and confident, the 5 tracks boast guitar solos of craziness, a “live” drum mix, and a rhythmic vocal delivery to add emphasis to their chunky riffing. The overall tempo of the album is typical for late 80s speed metal – fast but not frantic. Songs, such as “The Assault”, often feature appreciated mid-tempo breaks: the cue for mosh pits to break out during live sets. Songs vary in their melodic intent; “Army of Doom” is much more punk-sounding by way of it’s melody line then, say, “The Assault”. It’s a nice tonal variety. There’s no touch-up on the vocals, which are a little more sparse, or at least less rapid-fire, then typical thrash.
Like most underground metal releases, the sound on Violence and War is a little seedy, and the mix benefits from bass-heavy earphones. That means there could be considerable improvement in the mix: you can’t entertain a party if the music you’re going to play sounds cruddy on an ambient system. When the music scene is as cluttered as it is today, any advantage that a band can leverage to get their music heard should be taken. Mixes with full depth don’t cause songs to lose authenticity, intensity, or power, so, bands should not be afraid of them. Recommended for fans of slightly ragged underground thrash with touches of more extreme genres, this latest platter from Evil Army is available on vinyl too.
Track listing:
Army of Doom
The Assault
My Rage Unleashed
Deathbreath
Violence And War
