VIOLENT FORCE

This is a band that I've been raving about for a while now. Germany's Violent Force sticks out of the thrash scene over there in that they do not possess the early black metal vibe like the early Kreator, Sodom and Destruction releases. I guess this is why them and Tankard never got that same "recognition" as the "Big 3"? Whatever the case may be, those of us in the know have another band that we can all worship and glorify. Violent Force are truly a gem.

After much search for their sole album, Malevolent Assault Of Tomorrow, I finally got it a few weeks ago through The Omega Order. Don't check there now, though. It seems that I've purchased the last copy and when a product is "on order" with them, it never comes. Sad, but true.



With that bullshit out of the way, let me discuss this album briefly. Basically, it's another "classic cult" album that's reissued by Metal Mind Productions of Poland and thank goodness for that. Violent Force's brand of thrash is more in tune with the way thrash first started out as in America - which was super punk and super Motörhead-like. The album's opener, "Dead City", could easily be a G.B.H. song had I not known any better. "Sign Of Evil" has a nice speed metal (sorta like Running Wild) edge to it while "S.D.I." shows the band's more "proper" early-German sound (which was all about SPEED!). The guitarist/vocalist, who's name is for some odd reason Lemmy, has what I believe is the ideal thrash vocals and I can put him up there with Paul Baloff of (duh) Exodus. It's harsh, but clean, and not in a James Hetfield-circa-1984 way (nothing against him, of course).


Violent Force performing "Dead City" in the 1986 German film Verlierer

All and all, a fine slab of Teutonic thrash attack. Not much is known about these guys today. Their official website is in German and their official MySpace hints that they are still active, though I don't see any hard proof. Well, whatever - just get this fucking album.

Violent Force's official website is over here and their MySpace is over here. I hope you know German.