Havochate / This Violent Earth
Album: This Violent Earth   Collection:Deep Storage 200702
Artist:Havochate   Added:Sep 2003
Label:Root-O-Evil Records  

Album Review
Ragnar of Ravensfjord
Reviewed 2004-01-29
This has got to be this label’s worst release (and their track record is usually quite good, then again there was that Rev. Porky Bunge CD...).

Here's a whole lot of (slightly) modern-ized version of both 1988-era Bay Area & East Coast Thrash/Speed Metal. Sorry, this whole thing just reads: “going through the motions” and “I wonder which 80’s band we can most emulate”. The vocals sound like a cross between Chuck Billy of Testament & David Wayne of Metal Church, (sans his excellent falsetto) and maybe the Russ from Forbidden.
Mostly this falls between Testament and Metal Church, but it's more formulatic than Testament and without the chops or songwriting of Metal Church. The only current-era thing here is: the "chunka-chug" slow riffing (see: Pantera, Machine Head & about 1 billion other bands) and the solos are rather short. The ubiqitious “James Murphy factor” does nothing to help this level of blandness.
If I had to recommend something on this album - it might be:
((3)) Mid-tempo. Some pretty good, though verrrry typical contemporary structures with some nice bass playing & more Metal Church-like vocals. Plus actual backing vocals, no cheesy ‘gang’ vocals ‘ala just about EVERY thrash record from 1987-91.
((5)) A decent nod at Metal Church meets early Testament at Overkill's favorite skatepark.
((9)) Somewhere between Metal Church, early Savatage, Testament and maybe a decent Machine Head song (if there is such a thing).

Track Listing
1. This Violent Earth   6. Right to Die
2. Years of Abhorrence   7. Kill or Be Killed
3. Vindication   8. Pull the Plug
4. When God Dies   9. Drenched in Sweat
5. Cyclical Life   10. Remind Me