While this quintet from Wisconsin have been around for 9 or so years, this is their first full length album and delivers 11 fast paced tracks with little remorse. James Murphy mixed and mastered the album giving a really clean sound with extremely audible lead solos. Adam Gilley’s vocals range from the odd strong clean to mostly Lamb of God style raspy shouting with a death growl thrown in every now and then for good measure. Mike McGuire’s drumming is ultra-precise from groovy timekeeping to snappy snare pounding with plenty of fast paced footwork. The backbone that Mark Campbell provides on the bass allows for Gene and Cody Rathbone to trade riffs and leads without pause as they battle up and down the scales.
A quick intro followed by a long scream gets the album underway with “Kill. You. Now.” and the chuggy guitars are very reminiscent of the early 90’s as is brutal attack on the snare.
and now that I have Exhorder and Pantera in mind, I’m trying to decide which “Annihilation” is more a homage to, but the guitars on “…as Your Kingdom Falls” are a little slower with more melody which the vocals are forced to follow, which they do remarkably well.
“Blood Coated Concrete” has both guitars and drums pick up the pace substantially as it assaults your ears with the venomously vocals. While “Monster” alternates between its blistering pace and the rather mellow chorus with its harmonious clean vocals and the maniacally played lead solos.
A quick bass solo is the intro to the title track “Buried in Violence” before its very fast and choppy rhythm kicks in to race you off to the guitar solos which are played equally as fast, if not faster.
“Vindicare” is a pretty little instrumental number that gently builds to its frilly crescendo of meandering melodious guitars.
While the song “Nemesis” itself is rather good, it’s the leads that make it stand out even more as they trade back and forth at high speed.
The vocals alternating between clean and gruff on the chorus of “Revolution of Destruction” adds another dynamic that the guitars have been doing all along.
“Unholy Manipulator” starts with a catchy Pantera-like riff punctuated by a squealing false harmonic before upping the pace and adding the vocals and drums. Half way through the tempo drops giving the lead the opportunity to shine before it gets back to pace again.
I actually enjoyed this version of “Perry Mason” even though I kept hearing a geriatric Simpson’s character singing the title in my head.
All in all, a pretty good album and if you’re into this style of thrash then you won’t be disappointed after giving it a listen, or two.
(7/10 Marco Gaminara)
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