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"