State of Unrest

Snappy, perfunctory crossover thrash is the order of the day on Violent Revolution's State of Unrest, the end result of a collaboration of apparent nobodies, one that makes a smashing first impression. The only name you might recognize here is George Robb, and while he has now vacated his seat as the group's aggrandized secondary mouthpiece and bassist, this takes nothing away from the bruising fisticuff ballistics of State of Unrest.

Fans of earlier Exodus, Sacred Reich and Nuclear Assault should enjoy the material here, delivered with an endearingly raw, live-sounding mix that pumps up the slicing sheen of the fret-cracking riffs. Gilleland's kit sounds unprocessed and surprisingly zesty, with an affinity for more than the most standard of crossover/thrash beats. Tunes like "Damaged" and "Violent Revolution" weigh down the A-side of the record with quality material, but the band manages to maintain most of this momentum; mainly due to the punctual nature of the majority of the songs. These are tailor-made for the live arena, getting in and out quickly and delivering enough neck-jerking to satiate most thrashers appreciably. Deviations like "State of Unrest" craft a more Under the Influence-esque crunchier thrash slant, but the appeal always pulls back to shout-along choruses (although some get on a bit) and efficient riffage. Violent Revolution's primary armament is more than capable, with my favourite being the more measured, groove stomper "Final Vow," featuring some great backing vocals. Cheesy, but undeniably powerful.

As stated above, some of the refrains can drag on a bit, and Don Funk spews syllables until he is blue in the face, all with a monotone howl that reminds me of early Forbidden, only with no affinity for cleaner fare. The politically-charged lyrics somehow feel more relevant given current world events, but the template has been done to death, with Violent Revolution doing nothing to push these truncated boundaries in any meaningful direction. Still, there are more than a handful of killer cuts here, including the riff monster "Code of Conduct" and the aforementioned "Final Vow." These help offset the impressive opening salvo, resulting in a record that is a quick and easy listen. Regardless, you'll know whether or not State of Unrest is for you within the first few minutes, as the record's tone is shockingly homogeneous.

Whether or not Violent Revolution survives the loss of George Robb remains to be seen, but since the band is still basking in the glow of this release, it's safe to say that they will garner a reasonable fanbase that will at least stick around and see where things go next. Maybe it's the dedicated thrasher in me speaking more than anything, but this record simply works for what it is. Might be a bit too spartan for modern ears, but it's always fun to go back to basics when it is executed well. Recommended.


Promo courtesy of The Metal Observer