Violence Only lives up to its name.
For Braxton Keyser (vocals), Rene Martinez (drums), Mark Chandler (bass), and Andrew Mathews (guitar), the EP Violence Only marks their debut in the Brutal Death genre, with the support of Comatose Music.
Strong Arm Beatdown immediately delivers pure violence, brutality, and above all, a mix that’s both old-school and flawlessly produced by Jeremiah Tuck (Human Infection, Satanic Panic…), hitting hard where and when it counts, effortlessly amplifying the waves of aggression promised by the uncompromising riffs. We find a technical touch in the harmonics, and then Facial Deconstruction kicks off with a sample and a distinctly groovier approach, featuring the palm-mutes characteristic of the Brutal Death we love, delivered with precision and, once again, without any restraint. A series of tempo increases leads us to Warm Dissection, which picks up exactly where its predecessor left off, letting the double bass drum and snare work in tandem while the other musicians deliver a sound that’s as thick and choppy as possible; then Victimized and Laughing follows, taking its turn to batter us. No surprises here, the sound remains exactly as it was on the previous tracks, that is, devastating and thick as tradition demands, whether in the fast-paced moments or the slower, groovier ones, but Hatred for Humanity takes it up a notch to wrap up the EP, while also distilling its own vision of the organized savagery that the band embodies.
When a band is called Violence Only, there’s no room for doubt. Five tracks, a good quarter of an hour of Old School brutality, that’s what Violence Only is all about. It’s a slightly short EP, but perfect for getting a feel for the band.
90/100