Formerly known as MERCILLESS from 2006 to 2009, the newly re-christened Thrash band from Brazil have released their first, and hopefully not last, album as DEATHRAISER. From the album title alone, “Violent Aggression”, one should detect a strong KREATOR influence at work. Indeed, vocalist Thiago sounds eerily like a younger, angrier Mille Petrozza. As he sings the chorus “violent aggression!” I find myself wondering why he isn’t singing “extreme aggression!” Three songs in, a brief interlude of a fading heartbeat hooked up to a beeping monitor, and the blistering debut roars on with ‘Terminal Disease’. Though it can be said for every song on the album the production on ‘Terminal Disease’ seems to sharpen, get rawer; possibly because it’s a true neck ripper if ever there was one. This is one very stand out track. ‘Enslaved By Cross’ slows only to accentuate the ripping guitars, and hellishly cool soloing. Another stand out. By this point in the album the KREATOR influence still pervades the vocals, but instrumentally the riffing gets so manic, so break-neck, it calls to mind another German group: PROTECTOR. Any faster and this band would blur into a tornado. And even though I’m sure many of us (myself included) are tired of hearing it, short songs – that is, songs no longer than they need be, are always a welcome plus for any album, in any genre. DEATHRAISER courteously have their songs say what they need to say and finish. No song on “Violent Aggression” breaks the 4 minute mark and although that does reduce the play time, it also enables the listener to enjoy the album multiple times without stopping to yawn, or go to the bathroom. We’re treated to some politically themed brutality with ‘Killing The World’. And the soloing, once again, is beautiful. Very sharp, chaotic, but tightly organized and clear. With that, the album hits the ground running and doesn’t stop until the final note of the final song, ‘Thrash Or Be Thrashed’. If you aren’t thrashing to this thing, then It shall thrash you in turn. Great debut! www.myspace.com/deathraiser666, http://twitter.com/deathraiser666, www.xtreemmusic.com