The things that you learn as you navigate yourself through the caves and canyons of musical genres that are not on your usual musical map. Like, for example, Violator and their album “Unholy Retribution”, as this is thrash metal from some long time purveyors of such things and it does not disappoint.
Power chords abound and the pace is never less than frenetic yet, and this is more than likely due to the maturity of this band, they never sound like a parody of either the genre or, indeed, themselves. They paint a picture with paint that was always going to be black but, despite the many and myriad references to the dark abyss below, Violator manage to make themselves into more than maximum volume escapees from the underworld. Without the guttural stylisations so beloved of other bands of this genre, a lyrical literacy is evident and, while perhaps most will not care to listen, there is much to suggest that what is above ground in the here and now is more on this band’s mind than just another karaoke opportunity with the Dark Lord.
Make no mistake, Violator were always going to be muscular and “Unholy Retribution” duly demonstrates that very quality yet, even for the non-believer in matters of manic speed drumming and macho guitar riffs, it is abundantly clear there is a reason why Violator have been around for such a long time. That reason is that they make their musical point without ever becoming ghosts of their former selves. Play very loud as was, no doubt, intended.