Just a few years ago, Evil Invaders burst
onto the European speed metal scene with an inspired, energetic record that was
designed to crush, kill, and destroy posers. It shouldn’t be a surprise that
the band has followed that up just a couple years later with a similar offering
of no holds-barred speed metal. “Feed Me Violence” does exactly as the title
suggests: it feeds pure violence. Not content with a barbaric approach, nor a
completely clean one, Evil Invaders has carved a niche by opting for a
technically precise, yet completely wild and off-the-rails sound.
The biggest advantage in Evil Invaders’
corner is their sheer enthusiasm. Between the screeching solos and equally
shrieky vocals, the Belgians are out for blood on this record. It’s worth
pointing out that the band’s singer has a fairly clean delivery when he’s
singing, but often tends to channel his inner-Schmier. Predictably, the outcome
makes “Feed Me Violence” even better. It helps that the band spends much of
their time at a driving pace, unleashing furious riffs, and equally potent
rhythm work.
To their credit, Evil Invaders is not a
one-trick pony. There are a couple of instrumental interludes, and even other
moments where the band adopts a softer sound. These moments excel when there
are melodic, thoughtful leads that take advantage of the space the rhythm
section provides to them. Truthfully, the band does neither their fast nor
their more restrained sound better. The two styles work in tandem to offer sufficient
diversity on an already succinct record.
There aren’t any clear failings of “Feed Me
Violence”. Much like its predecessor, it doesn’t necessarily have the
songwriting chops of some of the leaders of this scene. But it fills such a
unique void in the style (cleaner than bands like Ranger yet more aggressive
than others like Enforcer) that it is still a must-listen. There are still
plenty of great songs on this record, and even if there weren’t, it’s simply too
charged-up to deny!
Highlights
"Mental Penitentiary"
"As Life Slowly Fades"
"Oblivion"
Final Rating
4.1/5 or 82%.
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