This past Friday, Italy’s Ultra-Violence exploded onto the industry with their latest offering entitled “Operation Misdirection” via Candlelight/Spinefarm Records. The thrash metal ban out of Italy promises to deliver the brutality while taking absolutely no prisoners with this offering.
Ultra-Violence is composed of Loris Castiglia(vocals/rhythm guitar), Andrea Vacchiotti(lead guitar), Andrea Lorenti(bass), and Francesco La Rosa(drums). The band broke out in 2015 with their offering “Privilege To Overcome” by playing the Metalitalia.com festival and sharing the stage with Testament, Exodus, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Onslaught. After lineup changes, Ultra-Violence continued to play shows and festivals in Europe with Discharge, Angelus Apatrida, Tokyo Blade, and Rotting Christ, and even reached Japan playing a couple of shows with Skull Fist.
The opening track “Cadaver Decomposition Island” showcases Ultra-Violence penchant for brutal guitar riffs and breakneck rhythms. The song feels like that time in the 1980’s in the thrash metal scene in California where bands like Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer were cutting their teeth and only focused on creating dynamic riffs and writing songs that were not for the faint of heart. I immediately notice Ultra-Violence’s penchant for creating seamless transitions, which is paramount in the genre of thrash metal, and there are even elements of djent and prog metal in this track. Elements of gang vocal hardcore are found in the second track “Welcome To The Freakshow”, where the only focus is whipping the crowd into a frenzy with mosh-pit inducing riffs and getting the crowd to sing along to their gang vocals. The bass is thicker than molasses in “My Fragmented Self”, where the bass part sounds like something Cliff Burton(RIP) would write in the intro of a song, the song is able to transition from mid-tempo sludge to speed metal, with elements of Suicidal Tendencies in the chorus of the song where Loris proclaims “what the fuck do you want from me” in a punk/metal way.
Plus, their cover of “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits is unreal and Francesco lays it on thick in the drums. Then, they bring on the thrash. The instrumental breakdown would certainly make Mark Knopfler proud on this one!
The thrash metal world is sleeping on Ultra-Violence, and they are about to unleash an all-out sonic assault on the thrash metal world with their breakneck arrangements, brutal guitar riffs, and lyrics that are not for the faint of heart. I do not say this lightly. This is the greatest thrash metal band you haven’t stumbled upon, but once you do, you will simply say, “holy shit”. Madness To Creation rates this album a 9 out of 10 stars because it’s that addictive! Check out the track listing below.
- Cadaver Decomposition Island
- Welcome To The Freakshow
- My Fragmented Self
- The Acrobat
- Nomophobia
- Money For Nothing(Dire Straits cover)
- The Stain On My Soul Remains
- Shining Perpetuity
- Burning Through The Scars – Live at Domination Studio
- Spell Of The Moon- Live at Domination Studio
On Saturday, November 24th, Ultra-Violence will be performing at Metal Night Stans at SENKEL in Schwibogen, Switzerland. For tickets and further information, click here.
Fans can find Ultra-Violence at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/ultraviolencemetal
www.instagram.com/ultraviolencemetal
Check out the music video to “Cadaver Decomposition Island” below.
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