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PAYBACK
Violent Ecstasy

Black Hole Productions (2023)
Rating: 6/10

Formed in 2011, Payback is a Brazilian death / thrash posse not to be confused with an Argentine act of same moniker. Violent Ecstasy is the second full-length opus from the Belo Horizonte-based band and it’s a hostile affair. If you like your thrash fast and raw then this is for you.

Fronted by bassist and founding member Daniel Tulher, Payback also consists of drummer Thiago Pena, and the axe duo of Igor Gustavo and Nicolas Evangelista. The album comes armed with nine punishing tracks which rarely stop for breath. Opener ‘Falling From The Sky’ goes straight for the jugular; a seething yet almost modern thrash design which although rather generic spits and snarls in order to demand your attention. Tulher has an aggressive vocal style that is not too dissimilar to David Sanchez of Denver, Colorado-based act Havok.

I guess this is sniping thrash for people with little attention span; frantic blasts of what eventually becomes background music for a few beers. I’m not criticising it but it is what it is, and it comes as relief to hear steadier songs like ‘Sarcastic Serenity’ with its more measured approach. That’s not to say though that the album is a blur as there are some superb solos and the drumming is a joy to behold as Pena hammers relentlessly. I just think the main issue here is that the genre is bulging with a lot of similar bands, and however fast those rhythms are and however vicious the vocals the likes of Payback just won’t be heard outside of a select few.

Neil Arnold

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