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Razor - Violent Restitution review



Reviewer:
9.5

135 users:
8.59
Band: Razor
Album: Violent Restitution
Style: Thrash metal
Release date: 1988
Guest review by: Cynic Metalhead


01. The Marshall
02. Hypertension
03. Taste The Floor
04. Behind Bars
05. Below The Belt
06. I'll Only Say It Once
07. Enforcer
08. Violent Restitution
09. Out Of The Game
10. Edge Of The Razor
11. Eve Of The Storm
12. Discipline
13. Fed Up
14. Soldier Of Fortune

Razor is one of the bands that came out of the exuberant class of Canadian thrash metal scene. Alongside other Canadian hellraisers such as Sacrifice, Exciter, Annihilator, and Voivod, Razor decided to record an album that is more abrasive, contentious, belligerent and monstrously headbanging, namely Violent Restitution, in 1988.

Every track on Violent Restitution is concise and similar in nature, characterized by breakneck speed, maniacal and enraged vocals, and an intoxicating blend of chaotic, demented violence. Songs like "Hypertension," "Taste The Floor," "Behind Bars," and "Below The Belt" epitomize this ferocity. This album is a deliberate attempt to showcase sheer musical violence, hatred, and malice in their most primal and animalistic forms. The uniformity in song structures and lengths is an intentional, well-crafted decision that underscores the album's relentless aggression. "Enforcer" stands out as an obvious highlight, boasting some of the most gripping and caustic riffs ever laid down. Rather than viewing this album as 14 individual tracks, it's essential to see it as a single cohesive statement, and this perspective will reveal the true brilliance of its design.

Beyond Dave Carlo's catchy and coherent riffs, Violent Restitution is distinguished by its brilliant songwriting and impeccable solos. Stace 'Sheepdog' McLaren delivers one of his most remarkable vocal performances; one of his key takes is the shrieking intro of "The Marshall Arts", which feels like it will nearly shatter the window panes. The riffing on "Violent Restitution" serves as the album's central force, with tireless escapades of rapid mute picking and barrages of chords, all driven by the potency of Carlo's chosen tone. The guitars being in the spotlight gets a slicker, dirtier and denser atmosphere than Evil Invaders and Open Hostility.

Much like Canadian contemporary Voivod's Dimension Hatröss, released in the same year, Violent Restitution is a conceptual release, and the theme here isn't complex: it's about 14 ways to kick your rump so hard that you'll need to floss your colon after it comes up through your throat and breaks your teeth. The production is pristine, allowing the bass to be audible yet nicely isolated from the lead instruments, ensuring that the guitars and vocals sound immaculately clean and upfront, as exemplified in "Hypertension", "Edge Of The Razor" and "Discipline". Rob Mills' drums slap really fucking hard. Altogether, these elements create a monumental sound, and in comparison with preceding albums, it clearly trumps the airy aesthetics of Custom Killing or the thinner mix of Malicious Intent, capturing the raw and frantic energy of the compositions naturally.

Razor aimed to condense as much pitilessness, ferocity, and aggression into this 40-minute monstrosity as possible, meticulously planning and curating each track. Overall, Razor's Violent Restitution deserves its legendary status. It's one of the albums that thrashers proudly look at on a rack, and beam to see a rare jewel stacked with other collections. Hey! If you listen closely, you going to find it therapeutic as well.

Favourite songs: "The Marshall Arts", "Hypertension", "Enforcer" and "Violent Restitution"


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 9
Production: 9

Written by Cynic Metalhead | 21.07.2024




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 47 users
21.07.2024 - 19:31
Rating: 9
Guib
Thrash Talker
Nice review Cynic! You already know my opinion on this thrash masterclass!

''it's about 14 ways to kick your rump so hard that you'll need to floss your colon after it comes up through your throat and breaks your teeth.''

I laughed there quite the line.
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- Headbanging with mostly clogged arteries to that stuff -
Guib's List Of Essential Albums
- Also Thrash Paradise
Thrash Here
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21.07.2024 - 20:37
Rating: 8
Redel
Moderator
Great review, Cynic, on this thrash classic. I have just respun it a couple of days ago. It is awesome, and it is one of those few albums where you dont want to miss a single song, plus you'd love to even get a couple more of them. What a banger!
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21.07.2024 - 23:58
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Thanks for the review and bringing this band to our attention. This is definitely a great album and one of the most aggressive and ferocious for it's time, the Death Angel-style high pitch squeals are always going to be an acquired taste for some listeners but I think they add so much character. This may even be one of the most overlooked albums from 80s thrash, possibly due to the fact they didn't represent the Bay Area.
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22.07.2024 - 06:09
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Written by Redel on 21.07.2024 at 20:37

Great review, Cynic, on this thrash classic. I have just respun it a couple of days ago. It is awesome, and it is one of those few albums where you dont want to miss a single song, plus you'd love to even get a couple more of them. What a banger!

Thanks, Redel.

This is a perfect album where it gets refined after repeated listens. For me, one of the best Razor's record ever.
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22.07.2024 - 06:42
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 21.07.2024 at 23:58

This may even be one of the most overlooked albums from 80s thrash, possibly due to the fact they didn't represent the Bay Area.

Correct

When I came to know about Razor, this was the first album that I was diggin' hard seeing how incredibly attractive and appealing to me it was. When I started doing research on its "popularity", and also thumbs up to Guib's thrash lists, it was conveniently clear that it hadn't attracted much attention(even outside MS). You going to find lot of albums sidelined in 80s and 90s due to heavy guns reigning with big labels and great marketing.
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24.07.2024 - 16:53
RazMan
Great review. Thanks for reviweing one of my favourite thrash albums. I agree that this is a statement as a whole. I don't think I've ever listened to just one song, it's always start to finish. Hell, only song I can name by name is behind bars, which is my favourite from this album.
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24.07.2024 - 18:26
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Written by RazMan on 24.07.2024 at 16:53

I agree that this is a statement as a whole. I don't think I've ever listened to just one song, it's always start to finish.

That's the first thought it came when I had numerous spins. It's so fucking thrilling that while listening to it repeatedly, I ended up making the notes for this brilliant release. It should have gotten more heat from metal fans, but lately it has been circulated heavily in the playlists.
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24.07.2024 - 21:26
Nejde
With all the buzz surrounding this album recently I obviously had to check it out. Did not like it.
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Liebe ist für alle da.
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28.07.2024 - 19:01
Blackcrowe
Great record, great memories. I have listened to it so many times on those days. It may not be the best of the band, but it is certainly a pivotal record of the band. I think the record who represents best the spirit of Razor is Evil Invaders but both are great.
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Invisible To telescopic eye,
Infinity. The star that would not die
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29.07.2024 - 06:07
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Written by Blackcrowe on 28.07.2024 at 19:01

I think the record who represents best the spirit of Razor is Evil Invaders but both are great.

Terrific releases. To what I've experience listening to both of the records, I felt Violent Restitution have an edge over any other Razor's release due to abrasiveness, slicker, denser and sicker riffs that I missed the top-notch quality in Evil Invaders. Nonetheless, Evil isn't a bad record at all.
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