Ultra-Violence – Deflect The Flow

Amidst all of the clones and copies of the newer thrash bands, one group that stands tall above the crowd is the Italian band Ultra-Violence. Their first full-length, “Privilege to Overcome”, was a solid effort that showed a band willing to experiment with the typical thrash formula. On the follow-up album, “Deflect The Flow”, the band reins this in a little bit, in favour of a more straight forward thrash sound, though they definitely offer some heavier death metal-esque moments at times.

“Burning Through The Scars” storms out of the gate with some pure Exodus worship; if you didn’t know any better, you’d swear this riff was channeled through Gary Holt’s fingers. This song later goes on to offer speedy tremolo picking, blast beats, and even lots of melody, but it never loses its thrashing way. At its core, the rest of the album is very similar. Rather than switching sounds for a single song (something the first album occasionally did with tracks like “The Voodoo Cross” or “You’re Dead”), this album tends to provide variety within each song. This doesn’t mean every song is identical though; “Why So Serious?” is an ode to some of the more fun thrash bands of the 1980s, with more playful lyrics, loud twangy bass, and a few vocal breaks. Later in the track, Ultra-Violence takes a page from the books of Vio-lence and presents an incredible thrash groove. This song best accentuates how perfect the production is; every instrument is punchy (particularly on the low-end), and the guitars are absurdly heavy. The album might be a bit too clean for some, but this clarity highlights just how tight the playing is. Every musician is a master of his craft on this record (aside from perhaps the vocals, but thrash was never about having the best singer).

There’s so much to like about “Deflect The Flow” because it just does thrash well. For a genre that many claim is too rigid with its formula, Ultra-Violence is showing everyone else how to keep things interesting. They haven’t forgotten to write great songs, and that really comes through on tracks like “Lost In Decay” and the aforementioned “Why So Serious?” If you’re serious about how hard you thrash, “Deflect The Flow” is an essential purchase!

Be sure to check out and like Ultra-Violence on Facebook!

Highlights

"Burning Through The Scars"

"Why So Serious?"

"Lost In Decay"

Final Rating

4.3/5 or 86%. 

Written by Scott 

Ultra-Violence - Privilege To Overcome

If there is one metal scene that not enough people are talking about, it would have to be the Italian thrash scene. From the more established Hyades, to newer bands like Bothers and Game Over, the Italians know how to play some mean thrash. The newest band to pop up on my radar is Ultra-Violence; yet another young thrash act named after a classic album. The bad news is that their debut, “Privilege to Overcome”, doesn’t sound anything like the Death Angel classic. The good news is that it doesn’t try to sound like it.

Before I can get to the stronger points of this record, I have to address the weaknesses. Firstly, this album is way too long. If you are writing a 57-minute thrash album, it had better be something progressive in the vein of “Victims of Deception”. While Ultra-Violence does sustain their youthful energy throughout the entire record, it’s just too much to handle in one sitting. How should they solve this issue? Cut the two weaker songs: “Spell of the Moon” and “The Voodoo Cross”. The former song features unnecessary harmonics and attempts at being brutal. If you are trying to attract fans, this isn’t the song to lead off with. “The Voodoo Cross” is a slower, more plodding song. At almost 9 minutes, it really isn’t all that necessary, especially for a thrash album. Getting rid of these two tracks would go a long way to improving “Privilege To Overcome”. The other 11 songs (less an instrumental) provide exactly what you would come to expect from the band: thrashy, albeit uninventive riffs, with shouted vocals and rhythmically impactful drumming. The band often takes influence from death metal, as they throw in blast beats and death grunts when appropriate. There are a few songs that standout, but my favourite is definitely “You’re Dead”. At only 55 seconds, this song provides the punkish, crossover energy that a lot of newer thrash lacks. These types of songs are even better when they appear infrequently on an album. It reminds me of a lot of Nuclear Assault’s “Game Over”, where my two favourite songs were “Hang The Pope” and “My America”.  Another great song is “Order of the Black”. For the first three-plus minutes, it is similar to every other song; however, the most potent riff on the album kicks in with only about a minute left. The band abandons thrash for an all-out death metal assault. While it is only a short burst of intensity, the contrast between this part of the song and the rest of the record really makes this riff stand out in a positive way. There are so many songs on “Privilege to Overcome” that many of them are a blur, but aside from the two low points mentioned above, this album is evidence a band that definitely has a lot of talent.

To sum Ultra-Violence up, all you need is to hear the name and see the album artwork. If either doesn’t turn you off, then you probably absorb all things thrash (like me), no matter how unoriginal. This record absolutely could be improved, but it has many bright spots too. “Privilege to Overcome” is definitely recommended for all fans of newer thrash. 

Be sure to check out and like Ultra-Violence on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/ultraviolencemetal?fref=ts

Highlights

"Order Of The Black"

"You're Dead"

"10'000 Ways To Spread My Hate"

Final Rating

3.8/5 or 76%. 

Written by Scott