Review of the Album Violence is the Way of Life by German Thrash Metal Band Total Violence

Here is another review of a German thrash metal band and this one is the band called Total Violence. Right of the bat, some of you may want to dismiss these guys because of the band's name but rest assured that these guys aren't like Japan's Fastkill and they are melodic and technical. Their 2016 debut album called Violence is the Way of Life has a mishmash of musical influences including early Holy Moses. Included in this next section might as well be the pros and cons of the album.

Disease Disorder Death the song with three straight D's in it begins this album and there is no secret about what these guys intend to do with their style of play. They want to make things fast like Slayer. I know that it sounds redundant to say this but some thrash metal bands spend too much time creating lyrics about disease, violence, disorder, etc. If they can make their music work out stylistically then that's great for them. The pros for this album even with its disturbing title is the riffing, technicality, and overall song structure. There are very few German metal bands that don't have good technical skills so it is no surprise why this large Central European nation has always been at or near the top when comes to thrash metal.

St. Anger cannot compare to this album in terms of the heaviness, roughness, and brutality

Some of you may even ask is there any kind of angry tone in this album? That's tough to say but one thing is for sure: this album definitely has high quality thrash metal in it and Metallica's St. Anger with its raw sound does not stand a chance against this album even with its raw, heavy sound. However, this article is not meant to compare German thrash metal bands to Metallica or any other band. Listening to enough German thrash will help music fans realize the greatness of the genre for German bands.

“Trapped in the Moment of Death” is a song that in terms of the riffing is kind of like a better version of System of a Down and the technical riffing repeats itself as the song continues in the thrash metal style. Guess Who's Next starts out in the way that French band Aggressor would start some of their songs. The song lyrically wants to get across the message that in the United States, the situation has gotten so out of hand that it feels like organized crime has taken over. False Friends is a song that slowly builds up and this reminds me of the band Kreator. Perhaps it should no longer be a surprise that pretty much every single German thrash metal band that I've listened to since about the 2000's is solid. Listening to this new brand of thrash metal makes bands like Slayer look like amateurs in comparison. The song lyrically discusses a situation where we get surrounded by people that are toxic and dishonest. The vocals are rough enough that even Sabina Classen of the band Holy Moses would appreciate this. It is really tough in life when someone is supposed to live with a person that is toxic. This album is not as brutal sounding as the album Strength Power Will Passion but the harsh vocals and impressive guitar work are more than enough to keep you interested all the way through. “Eat You Alive” is a song that starts out in slow fashion though it is heavy still. The melody is such that it makes it feel like it is a German band. Creativity is an attribute that German bands have in plentiful supply. Acid Rain is a song that describes a situation in which human life is in danger of becoming extinct as we know it. Humans have done much damage to the environment and it is up to us to try and save our planet.

Overall, if you can get past the title of this album it should be another enjoyable listen for you if you are an open minded thrash metal fan.