Album Review: Chemicide - Violence Prevails
Reviewed by Richard Oliver
South America is known for unleashing some of the most no holds barred thrash metal from old school acts such as Sepultura and Attomica to latter day thrashers such as Violator and Nervosa. One band that has been forging away at its thrash craft are Costa Rican thrash horde Chemicide who have unleashed four albums and an E.P. and with their fifth album “Violence Prevails” they have crafted a total rager and their most explosive album to date.
“Violence Prevails” is an album that portrays “how there's no more dialogue; everything is resolved with violence and unfortunately for us, we see a lot of poverty and class disparities among our people”. This mix of social commentary and a relentless thrash attack is what fuels the fire in the songs which make up “Violence Prevails” as can be heard in absolute neck wreckers such as ‘Systematic Decay’, ‘Chokehold’ and the title track.
There are variations of pace and rhythm throughout but the songs lose none of their potency and aggression with the mixed pace of ‘Do As I Say, Not As I Do’, ‘Parasite’ and ‘Supremacy’ providing crushing riffs, aggressive snarling vocals and a rhythmic battering from the drums. The rhythm section of newcomers Kohke on bass and Chalo on drums really showcase their skills and prove their worth on this album with absolutely furious performances whilst the duo of founding members Frankie on vocals & guitars and Sebastian on lead guitar deliver a relentless barrage of razor sharp riffs and face melting solos.
The potency and endurance of old school thrash metal is proven on “Violence Prevails” as this is an album that offers absolutely nothing new to the thrash world but doesn’t need to as it is simply super aggressive thrash metal written and performed to an extremely high standard. The production and mix by Martin Furia really helps bring these songs to life with sharp, raw and punchy sound with all instruments and vocals sounding massive. If you need a blast of violent old school thrash in your ears, then “Violence Prevails” will scratch that itch and carve your flesh off at the same time. A relentless thrash attack that South American bands do so damn well.
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