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Like Slayer, early Sepultura, Kreator, Hypnosia? Well you're going to fucking love Brazilian thrashers Deathraiser's debut release Violent Aggression. Judging by the cover, and some of the track listing, I originally thought this was going to be your bog standard modern thrash. Nothing like a good surprise, and it's good to see some bands going for the more brutal, violent approach to thrash.

At just nine songs and under half an hour this is over quick, blasting away with no remorse and gunning straight for the throat. The album kicks off with the furious title track which absolutely bludgeons into submission. The riffing style is quality, and has just as much in common with Slayer as it does acts such as Demolition Hammer. The lead guitar approach is straight out of the Slayer handbook, a blood-curdling mess of trem abuse and flurries of quickly picked note patterns. The drums have a good sound here, and the bass pedals really smash into your gut, not too far away from Dismember's Indecent & Obscene's drum sound. The bass is right up in the mix too, which is just fucking great and further adds to the punishment.

With raucous odes to violence such as "Terminal Disease", and "Killing the World" Deathraiser really deliver the goods. This is fast, balls-out thrash metal that really doesn't let up, completely relentless and almost tripping over the sheer amount of energy in display. Deathraiser can proudly sit alongside acts such as Havok, Vektor, Bonded by Blood and Skeletonwitch as some of the very fucking best new thrash metal around. Absolutely punishing!